Ship Lost at Sea
by Wolf Brigade
Summary: Mai decides to take a reluctant Natsuki on vacation. Little did they know their trip would be aboard a lesbian cruise ship. Shiznat, MaiMikoto, some OoC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hello! This is the first story I've posted on here and I hope you guys enjoy it! I got the idea while listening to Margaret Cho's comedy routine where she talked about working on an Olivia cruise. Olivia is a cruise line for women interested in women, and I soon wondered what would happen if some hot girl (who is possibly sexually confused) didn't know she was going on a lesbian cruise. Hilarity and awkwardness would surely follow!

Enter Natsuki and Mai on their trip!

* * *

><p>"You know what you need Natsuki? A vacation." Mai stated as she looked around her friend's apartment in mild disgust. Dirty dishes were spilling out of the sink and onto the counters, food wrappers and motorcycle parts lay strewn across every flat surface, and Natsuki herself was half-asleep on her couch, surrounded by all of it. "How can you live like this?" Mai threw a plastic cup at her friend's head, not sure if she was hoping Natsuki would wake up or go unconscious upon the cup's impact.<p>

"Aaargh," Natsuki groaned as she shook the cup out of her hair. She looked up groggily at Mai. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I was trying to tell you that you should be spending your last summer vacation before college by doing something _exciting_. We could travel around Japan or even visit America!" Mai exclaimed excitedly. "The possibilities are endless and yet you just lay around here, wasting your summer away."

"Tokiha, we just finished finals yesterday. _Yesterday_. Let me get some god damn sleep around here. It's only," Natsuki looked at her phone, "four o'clock. We can discuss this in a few hours." Her head drooped onto the arm of the sofa as she tried to get some more well-deserved sleep.

A hand shook her awake and she looked into what could only be described as the eyes of madness. Mai held one of Natsuki's wrenches threateningly above her head. "Get up." Mai growled. The other girl scrambled off of the couch and stood ramrod straight. "Good!" Mai switched to an only slightly less creepy face—one comprised of a cheerful smile. "Now let's discuss some vacation ideas over breakfast-for-dinner."

Mai went over to the kitchenette and whipped out an apron she kept for when she cooked at Natsuki's. "So I was thinking," Mai called over her shoulder, "maybe we should go on a cruise. I mean, there are a lot that go up and down the Sea of Japan. Does that sound amazing or what?"

"Sounds bitchin'." Natsuki said doubtfully. She had dragged herself to the bathroom to wash up for their meal. She only heard every third word Mai was spouting, but Natsuki thought it would be better to agree than take a wrench to the face. Mai was awesome, but she could also be _scary awesome_. The last time she had been _scary awesome_, some guy with a bad dye job had ended up with his own kendo practice sword halfway up his ass. And that was only because he had whistled at Mai as she passed him. Poor bastard still had to go to the bathroom standing up.

"Breakfast is ready." Mai yelled. Natsuki, despite her misgivings about the possibility of an upcoming trip, made her way eagerly towards the kitchen. She hadn't eaten since yesterday's after-finals celebration the school held for seniors, and all that was there was Chex Mix and Cheetos. Gross.

"Now this looks pretty delicious." Natsuki admired the food before her. Mai had made omelets and fresh orange juice out of the meager supplies Natsuki had on hand. Impressive, given that she hadn't remembered buying fruit in months.

The orange haired girl smiled excitedly. "Maybe this will get you ready for a…continental breakfast on a cruise?"

"Well you do make a convincing omelet…" Natsuki shook herself out of her food lust and got back to the topic at hand. "What is your obsession with a cruise? What if I had a crippling fear of open water?"

"Do you?" Mai asked, concerned.

The biker snorted as she dug into her eggs. "Psssh, of course not. I'm not a pussy."

"Then I don't see a problem!" Mai replied brightly.

"What is your deal? I just want to enjoy my summer break in peace. Work on my bike, hang out with you, maybe go see a movie once in awhile. Is that too much to ask?"

"That's exactly it, Natsuki!" Mai slapped her hand down on the table, making the other girl jump. "It's too little to ask! Let's have an adventure we can never forget, in some far off place! Preferably on a cruise."

Something clicked in Natsuki and she realized what her friend had done. She sighed. "You already booked the trip, didn't you?"

Mai had the grace to look a little guilty. "I wanted us to have a great trip to celebrate our graduation with. That's what best friends do, right?"

"Oh my god. Now you're trying to guilt trip me. And it's _working_." Natsuki was disgusted with herself. "You're lucky, Tokiha. Lucky that you have a friend that likes you enough to suffer through a week long cruise to who knows where."

"Actually it's two weeks." Mai said as she produced her laptop from a previously unseen bag. "Here's the site for it."

Natsuki moved in closer to see what was displayed on the screen. "Hime Cruise Line, huh?" She butt-shoved Mai over to take control of the computer. The site was colored in various shades of pink and featured pretty girls laughing, splashing themselves with water, and doing touristy things together. "Why are there only girls advertised?"

"Because sex sells, Natsuki." Mai said patiently. "Guys think girls are hot together and even girls think girls are hot together."

"Maybe you do, but that's not my thing." Mai was about to argue back when Natsuki continued. "I know you had googly eyes for our history teacher. Everyone did. It was scandalous."

The orange haired girl blushed. "Okay, I just have a thing for older women," she stammered, "it's not that big of a deal!"

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "I want you to know that I never did approve of that relationship with Midori-sensei," She gave her friend a placating look. "and it's not because I'm freaked out by your obvious gayness. I just think it would be wrong for you to be in an illegal relationship."

"If we were in a relationship, which we _weren't_, it would have waited until I had graduated." They hadn't even gotten to third base! No lips or hands below the waistband were allowed during their so-called 'tutoring sessions'. There was a reason (or five) why Mai had gotten the highest score in her history class.

"But there's still the age difference to consider." Natsuki said seriously. Oh god, she couldn't _wait_ until the reveal.

"Oh come off it, Natsuki. She wasn't that much older than me." Mai was exasperated.

Natsuki fought off a smile. _Aah, here it is_. "Actually, _you_ were the older one. By two weeks. She was a minor when you were of age. How could you, Tokiha? Hentai!"

"How was I older than her? She was our teacher!" The orange haired girl refused to believe it. She was only attracted to older women! Midori was supposed to be the proof of that!

"Actually our real teacher was some guy named Smith, but he was fired after the first day of school. Something to do with volunteering students for illegal clinical trials. Midori-sensei was supposed to find a replacement but she took over herself. She gave the principal a fake resume that said she was 23." Natsuki laughed. "Who would really believe she was that old?"

Mai was still speechless, clearly in some state of shock Natsuki could never imagine. Natsuki resisted the urge to laugh in her face. Hey, nobody said she had to be the sensitive friend. That was Mai's territory. "So now that I have firmly established that you're a lesbian, let's get back to this cruise website." The biker smirked at her friend's expression and continued to peruse the site. "From what I'm seeing on here, you should be able to pick up a lot of older women. The men-to-women ratio is 100% on the female side."

"What?" Mai swatted Natsuki's hand away from the keyboard. "I'm pretty sure I saw a guy somewhere on this site. Aah! There he is!" Mai pointed triumphantly at a figure.

Natsuki squinted at the screen. "Nope. I'm pretty sure that's just a very masculine woman with a faint mustache. Hime's marketing strategy is very risky. I guess this cruise line doesn't cater to gay men. How homophobic of them."

"I'm sure they have another site that caters to gay men" Mai said uncertainly before getting back to business. "But here's our itinerary: Japan first, of course. Then South Korea, China, and Thailand. Isn't that awesome?"

_Dammit, that does sound pretty cool. I might be able to enjoy this more than I thought. _Natsuki thought grudgingly as she looked at pictures of the coastal cities they would be seeing. "Not bad. I've been to worse places."

"That's the attitude! Now let's get out of this messy excuse for an apartment and go shopping for some bikinis and formal clothes!" Mai squealed, clapping her hands together.

"I'm not nearly as excited as you are," Natsuki said dryly, "but if we're going to go on this damn trip, we'll do it in style. I got dibs on anything black and sexy."

* * *

><p>(Four Months Earlier in another part of Tokyo...)<p>

_Hime Cruises are the premier ships for women looking for a 100% lesbian experience. Whether you are traveling with your beloved or looking for your next sweetheart, these trips are for you! We welcome all newcomers to the world of lesbian cruises…_

"Ara, ara. A cruise? How intriguing..."

* * *

><p>I wrote this chapter between episodes from a Community marathon and I was listening to Kate Nash's Merry Happy while I typed. So please check out either of those things if you are interested! And now that I'm done whoring out some my favorite things, please leave some sort of vaguely positive feedback (or scathing criticism, whichever). Thanks!<p>

Oh! And double points for anyone who can guess who the cruise director will be! Hint: It's not Natsuki, Mai, or Shizuru. Hope that helps!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hi, Fandom! I wanted to thank you all for the reviews and guesses on my cruise director question. Shockingly, absolutely _no one_ guessed the right answer. But the mystery person will have a cameo towards the end of the chapter and hopefully you love who it is!

Just so you know, I don't intend to be too geographically accurate. I know where I want the gang to travel but the countries may not be in the order of a normal cruise itinerary.

* * *

><p>The ship was scheduled to leave exactly one week after Natsuki had agreed to go on it. Mai and Natsuki spent that time in very different ways after their mini shopping spree together. The orange haired girl had attempted to finish her 'Sexy Bikini Body' workout and book some tours the two would be doing while they were on their trip. Natsuki found out she was very secretive about what she had planned on doing, and told a poking Natsuki, "Just trust me!" Natsuki did nothing of the sort, of course. Her friend had practically blackmailed her into an unwanted trip and now there were unwanted tours involved! What next, Tokiha, <em>what next?<br>_

Natsuki preferred to spend her time before the vacation lazing around and investing in a new lock so Mai couldn't barge into her apartment whenever she pleased. She caught up on her motorcycle magazines and decided to let her family friend Sakomizu keep her bike for her. She figured he was a safe bet since he was too damn short to ride the bike and would therefore cause no damage to it.

Finally, the day was upon them. Mai met Natsuki at her apartment at the crack of dawn. They had decided to take the Shinkansen as far north as possible before switching to a ferry to get them to Muroran. "Aren't you excited Natsuki?" Mai asked as she packed her bags into a waiting cab. "I've never been on the bullet train before, have you?"

"Give me a moment." Natsuki grumbled, emotional. She was saying goodbye to her bike. The biker had never been more than a couple days away from it and now she was leaving it for two weeks! And in possession of a man who liked gardening! Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she couldn't trust him after all…

"Hurry up, Natsuki!" Mai's voice broke through her reverie. "Your bike will be fine. We don't want to miss the train."

"Fine, fine. I'm coming. Don't get your skirt in a twist, Tokiha." Natsuki muttered has she slung her duffel into the back of the cab and slumped into the seat next to Mai.

Despite Mai's worries, the cab made it to Tokyo Station with plenty of time to spare. The friends ate some ramen and bought a few bentos for the train ride. The closer they got to their destination, the more ill at ease Natsuki felt. "Hey, Mai?" She said once they were situating themselves on the train. "I'm kinda feeling like this trip will be different than we thought. And I don't know if that will be good or bad."

Mai placed a placating hand on her friend's shoulder. "I think you're just nervous," She continued quickly to cut off a protest from Natsuki, "about your bike. That thing is like a pet to you and you need to realize it's in safe hands now."

Natsuki hmphed, crossing her arms. "Dirty manure hands, maybe." She sighed, "You're probably right. I'm getting separation anxiety! That must be it…" Because if it wasn't, Natsuki was sure her feelings were because of the cruise they were about to go on.

* * *

><p><em>Six hours later<em>

"Longest train ride _ever_. I am glad that's over. I was about to kill someone when my Gameboy died." Natsuki sat up for the first time in a few hours and stretched. "So now Muroran is just a hop and skip away, right?"

Mai nodded in confirmation. "Now we just need to catch the ferry and get to the ship! I can't wait to see it, this will be my first cruise." She confessed excitedly.

"Mine too. But let's not get all sentimental. I want to enjoy my last day on solid ground before handing my life over to some captain guy I've never met."

The two got their bags and caught another cab to take them to Hachinohe Port. The ride took some time because of traffic. In the comfort of the air-conditioned cab, Natsuki decided to get some sleep, using Mai's shoulder as a pillow. She was jostled awake about an hour later to an odd smell. "Mai…why do you suddenly smell like fish?" Natsuki asked sleepily.

Mai glared at the other girl and shook her until she was fully awake. "It's not me! We're at the port now."

"Oh. My bad." Natsuki hastily paid the cab driver and started walking towards the pier. "But we're almost there! So, um, let's get going and all that." _Sorry I insinuated that you smell fishy_, she apologized mentally.

"I forgive you, but in repentance you now cannot complain about our first surprise tour." Natsuki looked so relieved that Mai had to grin. "I realize it would be asking too much for you not to complain at all."

"Screw you, Tokiha. I don't complain that much." Natsuki gave her friend her patented death glare. "But we should get on the ferry soon, it's like a sauna out here." _And I'm sweaty, and tired…dammit I do complain a lot. _

They finally got to the ferry, which was called the 'Sea Fairy'. Mai laughed when she read the name and accompanying picture on the side of the boat. "Please tell me that that was a laugh of ridicule and not admiration. Our friendship hinges upon your answer." Natsuki said seriously as they handed over their tickets to a crewmember.

"Of course I was laughing _at_ it." Mai snorted. "That picture looks like some sort of Pokemon. Perhaps a Meganium."

Natsuki nodded in agreement. "I'm glad my days of tutoring you in the ways of Pokemon are paying off. You are on your way to becoming a Pokemon master." The friends walked towards the very edge of the ferry where they could see the waves gently splashing against the side of the ship. Soon the engines started up and they were on their way to Muroran.

About half an hour into the voyage, Natsuki was starting to turn green. "Are you feeling okay?" Mai asked as she got the sea sickness pills out of her bag.

"Bleh." Natsuki answered, cradling her head in her hands. "I think I need to get away from the side of this damn ferry. Will I be like this on the cruise too?" She didn't want to ruin Mai's good time by being sick the whole trip.

"You shouldn't be. The bigger the ship, the less you feel the movement of the ocean. Or at least that's what I've read. Here," Mai pushed the pills and a bottle of water into the biker's hands. "take these. You should feel better in no time. Soon, you'll be able to enjoy some slippery ramen noodles full of warm broth." Who said Natsuki was the only one who could be an insensitive friend?

Natsuki felt her gorge rise at the thought of hot ramen. "Damn you." She said darkly. "You better hope you don't turn your back to me when leaning out of our balcony. I'll flip you over the rail and you'll have to ride back to land on a dolphin."

"That would be the coolest threat ever if we didn't have an inside cabin with only a window." Mai was unperturbed by the dark-haired girl's words. She heard threats like that at least once a day. A sudden thought came to her. "You know what? I can probably get us a balcony if I flirt with whoever is behind the desk. Thanks for the great idea!"

"I'm just going to curl up and look pitiful for the remainder of this ride, so please tell me when we have arrived." Natsuki got her ipod out of her backpack and leaned against Mai, looking suitably wretched.

"Why are you so damn cute sometimes?" Mai muttered as she shifted into a more comfortable position. "Now I feel bad for teasing you." Natsuki indulged in a small smile when she heard that. _Now we're even, bitch. _

* * *

><p>By the time the ferry had motored to the pier at Muroran, Natsuki decided she was feeling a bit better. After wandering around the pier for a little bit, the two were standing in front of Hime's pride and joy: Otome.<p>

The ship was quite majestic looking and both Mai and Natsuki craned their necks upwards as they neared it, mouths hanging wide open. "Wow." Natsuki breathed. "This thing is _huge_. Do you know how many people it holds?"

"It holds about one thousand, on average. Maybe a little more right now since it's high season for cruises." Mai stopped her staring and urged the biker to follow her. "We should go check in."

They walked towards the entrance of the cruise terminal and Natsuki started to notice something…odd. "Uh, Mai. Is this a ladies only cruise? Is that why there were no guys on the website?" All around them were fellow passengers chatting, eating, and perhaps most disturbingly, checking out one another. The raven haired girl was starting to feel uneasy. She tugged frantically at Mai's sleeve. "This is just a single lady cruise, right? Right?"

Mai had also noticed a distinct lack of guys and was about to answer when a much-amplified voice overtook her. "Ladies, welcome to the Hime Otome!" Mai swiveled around to see who was talking. A youthful looking woman with clear gray eyes. Black short-shorts rode up her long legs and she pushed her teal colored hair away from her face brusquely. All the while a huge smile was plastered on her face. "My name is Tomoe Marguerite and I am your cruise director! We are going to make sure that this is the single _best_ lesbian cruise you will ever have! Once you have checked in, feel free to join me in the pool area on the lido deck. I can't wait to meet you all!" The speech was met with raucous applause. A few women cat-called the director and were met with winks and smiles from her.

Natsuki and Mai stared at each other in shock for a moment before Natsuki finally said the first words. "Tokiha…did you know this was a _lesbian_ cruise?" Her voice was dangerously low and her eyes looked slightly crazed.

"I swear I had no idea!" Mai cried. "This was just the cheapest cruise available after graduation! But you said you don't have a problem with gay people, so this should be no big deal, right?"

Natsuki's eye twitched. "You trapped me…on a boat…with a thousand lesbians. What part of that is NOT A BIG DEAL?" She exploded. "How could you do this to me?" She paced furiously in small, tight circles around her duffel.

Mai grabbed her friend by the shoulders and shook her. Maybe she would be able to snap her out of her panic attack with the right words. "Natsuki," She started soothingly. "you are a strong, beautiful woman. No one on this trip will bother you if you tell them that you are not interested. Okay, so we're going to be on a boat full of lesbians, I can see how that would freak you out. But these women are _gay_, not molesters, not perverts. You can do this."

The dark haired girl nodded and took a deep breath in. _Great, this is working_! Mai thought triumphantly. But then they were passed by a scary and rather large woman. "Hey, sugar lips." She licked her own lips at Natsuki and gave her a lecherous smile. The biker gave her a wobbly attempt at a grimace until she was out of sight before breaking down.

"AAAHH. I can't do this, I can't!" And just like that, Mai's speech was worthless.

"I'm sorry Natsuki. This is my fault for not looking into this company as much as I should have." Mai sighed miserably and sat down on her suitcase. "If you want, I'll pretend to be your girlfriend for this trip. That way you wouldn't have as many…unwanted advances."

_Snap out of this state, Kuga_,Natsuki thought to herself as she resumed her pacing, _it's okay to be freaked out, but be supportive of Mai as well. She deserves to have this trip and she deserves to not stress over it just because it makes me uncomfortable. Man up! _"You shouldn't have to pretend to be my girlfriend." She said quietly to Mai. "You came on this trip to relax and maybe hook up with somebody. Being my fake girlfriend would get in the way of that. I'll straighten myself out, I promise."

Mai sprung up and gave her friend a big hug. "You really are the best. Now let's go get checked in!"

The two picked up their bags and their voices echoed through the cruise terminal. "Just to let you know, Tokiha, I'm never going to let you live this down. You might swim with the dolphins yet..."

* * *

><p>So there it is! Hopefully you enjoyed Natsuki's freak out as much as I did (it was my favorite part to write). I figure Hime Otome would roughly translate as 'Young Princess' or something like that. I wanted to name it after one of the CHILDs, but none of the names sounded right (except for Diana, but that would be awkward). Thanks once again for your reviews!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, guess what?" Mai excitedly asked Natsuki right after she had gotten their tickets. "I showed the lady behind the counter my boobs and now we have a cabin with a balcony! My plan totally worked!"

"That's good, I guess…" Natsuki answered a bit sullenly as they made their way up towards the ship. "At least now I can go ahead with my plan to flip you overboard."

The orange haired girl rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a sourpuss. Even if you are the only straight girl on this ship, we'll still be going to awesome countries together, try new food," She poked Natsuki in the side. "make great memories. This will be fun, you'll see." Natsuki sighed before nodding in agreement. Up ahead was a photographer ushering women to take their picture at her display. The display consisted of some white sand and a few blowup palm trees. The centerpiece was a slightly tacky rainbow life preserver with the ship's name on it.

Mai pointed to the display with a mischievous grin. "Well great memories start with great pictures, so we might as well get ours taken before going on board. What do you say?"

"What the hell?" Natsuki sighed, getting a pair of sunglasses out of her bag and putting them on. "Everyone already thinks I'm gay just by being here, so I might as well get my picture taken with that gay life preserver."

Mai clapped her friend on the shoulder. "That's the spirit!" She turned her attention to the photographer. "We'll get our picture taken."

The photographer adjusted her glasses and smiled at Mai. "Great! Now get behind the preserver and pretend to kiss."

"Whoa, whoa. Wait a minute! She's not my girlfriend." Natsuki said hurriedly, gesturing wildly with her hands. "Mai is my…cousin. My gay cousin" Her friend gave her an amused look.

"Whatever." The photographer shrugged off this shocking revelation. "Then just get into a cute pose." Mai put an arm around Natsuki and gave the camera her best smile while Natsuki gave it her best shit-eating grin. The flash went off and the photographer told the two that their picture would be up on the main deck by tomorrow. Mai thanked her and dragged away Natsuki, who was discreetly trying to pop one of the blowup palm trees.

After travelling up a few more escalators and sloped hallways, they finally made it to the entrance of the ship. "Cool! It's like a whole different world in here!" Mai exclaimed as she eagerly made her way inside. The interior was wildly decorated, from the carpet to the wallpaper. There were figurines of different sea creatures, sirens, and mermaids in the main lobby area and employees were handing out cheap souvenirs. "What do you want to check out first? There's the shops, casino, theater…" She trailed off, too excited to finish the sentence.

"Err…actually I think I'm going to put my stuff up in the cabin now." Natsuki, despite her earlier promise of coping with the trip, was getting nervous from all the stares she was receiving. _I know I'm hot, but _damn. _At least be subtle about it!_ "We've been carrying these stupid bags for like six hours now. I can meet you somewhere if you want…" She said uncertainly.

Mai looked surprised and a little disappointed. "Alright, that's fine. I guess I'll meet you in the pool area. I want to hear what that Tomoe woman is saying."

The friends parted ways after Natsuki took Mai's bag from her. Now loaded with luggage, the biker made her way up to deck 10. Everywhere she turned there were women. Women in swimsuits, or shorts, or tanktops. It was kinda disorienting and distracting. Natsuki quickly entered the nearest elevator to stop from wondering _why_ it distracting. After a few stops, the elevator finally made it to her floor, where she wearily got off and wandered aimlessly down a hallway before she knew what she was doing. She stopped walking. All of the sudden Natsuki felt like she was in _The Shining_. She was in the middle of the longest hallway she had ever seen, stretching from one end of the ship to the other. It was completely silent and she was the only she could see.

"What the hell?" The biker muttered, creeped out. _If I see any twins, I'm off this fucking boat_, Natsuki thought, looking at the nearest cabin doors to see what the numbers were. _10122, 10124. So I need to go…_She pivoted around, looking at each end of the hallway, _this way? _Natsuki took a few uncertain steps before gaining momentum. The room numbers flew by as she strode down the long ass hallway before coming to a halt before cabin 10060. Finally! She took out her keycard and swept it through the door, pushing her way inside eagerly.

The room was tiny but well lit from the sun coming in through the balcony. Natsuki dropped her bags on one bed and Mai's on the other before sliding the door of the balcony open. A slight breeze ruffled her dark hair as she gazed out onto the harbor. She admired the view for a few more minutes before going back inside and applying more sunscreen to her pale skin. _I'm going to ignite if I'm not careful_, Natsuki thought, rubbing the lotion on her vulnerable shoulders.

The biker left her cabin and hurriedly took the stairs up to the pool deck. She skipped the last few steps and rounded a corner a little too fast, running into someone coming from the opposite direction. Both fell to the floor. "Dammit, I'm sorry. I think that was my fault." Natsuki mumbled as she picked herself off the floor and looked at the woman she had run into, who had just gotten up as well.

Shizuru Fujino, Tokyo University student and notorious flirt, had just stood up after getting the wind knocked out of her by who she could only describe as the most beautiful person she had ever seen. The girl had long dark hair, a _very_ fit body, and possibly the greenest eyes in existence. Shizuru Fujino, master seductress and supreme temptress, was at a loss for words. All she could do was run her eyes over every inch of the girl's alabaster skin that wasn't covered by clothing. _Ara, if there is such a thing as love at first sight, I do believe I have gotten it._ _Now what to do about it…_

Natsuki Kuga, rad biker and avid lingerie collector, glared at the other woman, who was now staring unabashedly at her. She was taller than the biker by a few inches and had the most intriguing ruby eyes she had ever seen. Really, she was damn gorgeous. Her long honey hair was tied in a loose bun with a few strands framing her face. The stranger had on a bikini top that matched her eyes under a white cover up and dark shorts. The woman gave Natsuki a curious look before smiling and opened her mouth to say—

Natsuki gave her an awkward grimace and left the scene without saying another word. The stranger had been the first woman Natsuki had ever checked out like that, and it made her uncomfortable and a little irritated. _She was hot, it was totally okay to admire that hotness_, a more rational side of Natsuki thought.

_Bullshit. I thought she was hot in an…'I'd do her' way. That's not normal! This ship is already getting to me and it hasn't even moved yet! _The dominant side freaked out.

"Excuse me, Miss, but I think you left this at the scene of the crime." A soft voice with a Kyoto-ben lilt spoke behind the biker. Natsuki turned around and saw the woman she was just thinking about. In her hand was the raven haired girl's cellphone. "I'm Shizuru Fujino by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Natsuki muttered a 'thank you' before turning back around and continuing towards the pool area. She did _not_ want to deal with this woman. Her flash of attraction to her was already more than she wanted to deal with.

Shizuru was not one to give up so easily. In fact, she enjoyed challenges. "Ara, did I do something to offend you, Miss?" Shizuru was suddenly right beside her, matching her stride for stride. "I am sorry that I bumped into you, if that's what is bothering you." She tried to get a good look at Natsuki's face but dark hair hid it from view.

"I'm not bothered!" Natsuki exclaimed before adding, "I'm just trying to find my friend and relax, that's all." Her pace had slowed down some but she was still avoiding looking at the girl with the red eyes.

"What a coincidence! I am looking for my dear friend as well! Perhaps we can look together?" _What a perfect chance to spend more time with her! _Shizuru schemed.

Natsuki threw her hands up in exasperation. "Urrgh, fine! Only if you leave me alone after we find them."

Shizuru positively _beamed_. "Great!" She exclaimed, obviously not catching (or more likely, choosing to ignore) the irritation in Natsuki. She took Natsuki's arm and interlinked it with her own. "Let's start over by the buffet."

The dark haired girl looked at their arms with trepidation. What the hell gave this woman the right to…be so damn soft? _Dammit, again with the lesbian thoughts! Hopefully I'll be able to shake out of this state by the time I find Mai._

"So why did you decide to take a cruise?" Shizuru asked as they entered the indoor area of the buffet.

Natsuki looked around desperately for her friend. "Uhh…my friend booked this cruise as a surprise. I'm not gay though." She added quickly. "I'm straight. Super straight."

Shizuru took a small misstep which went unnoticed by the younger woman. She quickly regained her composure and responded. "Ara? Straight? You must be _quite_ the friend to agree to go on a cruise full of women who would love to get with you." _Including me. _

Natsuki narrowed her eyes at what this Fujino woman was implying. "I'm more than a friend. I'm also family. She's my cousin. A gay cousin." She continued, picking up more speed with her lie. "What kind of cousin would I be if I didn't go on a trip with her to show that I support her lifestyle?"

Shizuru was taken aback. Here she thought she might have had a chance with the girl. Perhaps she was questioning her sexuality, which was why she had taken the trip. But instead she was supporting a family member in an incredibly sweet way. _Too bad_, Shizuru sighed internally, _but I am still intrigued by her. And perhaps she _is _questioning her sexuality. I'm not going to give up yet._ "That is a very nice thing of you to do for your cousin…" She trailed off expectantly.

"Oh! I'm Natsuki. Natsuki Kuga, from Tokyo. Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier." Natsuki said, slightly embarrassed by her earlier behavior. "I'm also sorry that I was a bitch. That's kind of my MO with strangers."

"Hopefully we can remedy that, since I would like to be a friend rather than a stranger now." The blond woman smiled serenely at a gaping Natsuki. Little did she know that the biker was deeply embroiled in an epic internal battle.

_Friends? _The childish side of Natsuki thought happily. _We can has _friends_?_

_Wait wait wait. _The dominant side reared its head once more, awakening from its slumber. _We don't _want_ friends. We don't _need _friends (except Mai). I didn't sign up for this shit._

_But she's pretty! _The childish side argued. _And she seems nice! She keeps looking at us like we're the only one here. I like it. _The side added in a quiet voice.

_That's because she's gay! Stop arguing with me, I'm the dominant side, god damn it!_

_Not this time, Natsuki._ The normally compliant side said with certainty. _We are going to be friends with her, whether you like it or not._

_No! You have no right to— _The assertive side was suddenly elbowed in the face by the long-suffering weaker part. The dominant side lay passed out, blood pooling from her head.

_No more discussions. She will be our friend. And now I will be the dominant side. At least until you wake up. _

"Sure, I guess we can be friends." Natsuki said after a long moment. That had been weird.

* * *

><p>After Natsuki and her new friend had wandered around a bit more, they finally came upon Mai. The orange haired girl had been at one of the outdoor bar areas, looking on as Tomoe talked about all the fun activities there were on board (Karaoke! Bingo! Repeated showings of Maria-sama ga Miteru!).<p>

Mai hopped off her stool when she saw her friend approaching. "About time you got here! I thought you decided to bail on me. I figured you were half way to Morioka by now!" She stopped her rant when she saw who was with Natsuki. "Oh, I see you met a friend." Mai gave Natsuki a sly look.

"Shizuru, this is Mai. My gay cousin." Natsuki smirked as Mai's look of satisfaction turned into a minor glare.

"Nice to meet you." Mai said through clenched teeth as she shook Shizuru's hand.

"Now that you have found your friend, I am afraid I will have to find mine. May I ask when your dining time is?"

"We have late seating at the Kiyohime. Maybe we'll see you there." Mai answered despite the pleading look she got from Natsuki.

"Oh, you'll definitely see us there. Maybe we'll even sit at the same table!" Shizuru said with a smile. Before she passed Natsuki, she whispered, "I'll look forward to seeing you again, Na-tsu-ki." The biker's eyes went wide and all she could do was watch as Shizuru Fujino, capable of making the Ice Queen blush, sauntered past her with a sly grin on her face.

Once Shizuru was out of earshot, Mai turned on her friend. "Gay cousin? Is that all I am to you, Natsuki Kuga? A GAY COUSIN?"

Natsuki looked around in embarrassment. A few people had turned towards them out of curiosity. "Umm, Mai? That can really be taken the wrong way around here, you know..." Natsuki whispered.

"I don't care! Stop introducing me as your gay cousin!" Mai crossed her arms and looked away. "I was going to surprise you with something, but now I am having doubts. You obviously don't appreciate me enough to introduce me properly." She sniffed.

Natsuki did some quick thinking. She really wanted whatever surprise Mai was rattling on about. "I'm sorry I offended you. I think of you as family, but not too closely related, of course. Therefore, you're like a cousin to me." _Nice thinking, Kuga_.

"Do you mean that?" Mai asked, finally turning to look at Natsuki. The dark haired girl gave her the 'Kuga Puppy Dog Face' and nodded. Mai laughed. "Fine, I forgive you. And only because you are good at thinking up a quick lie. Let's go get some food and I'll show you your surprise."

* * *

><p><em>Half an hour later...<em>

"Oh my god." Natsuki moaned in ecstasy. "This is amazing. So white...so creamy..." She swirled her spoon around the bowl one last time. If there was no one else around, she would have licked it clean.

Mai's nose wrinkled and her stomach felt nauseous. "That's the fourth bowl you've had, Natsuki. You're going to get sick if you eat anymore." She warned the other girl. She knew it was her own fault that this had happened. Mai had introduced her friend to the food, and now she was going to be responsible for Natsuki gaining twenty pounds. _Some surprise_.

"I'm going to get s'more." Natsuki said, standing up and making her way over to the buffet line. "And I'm not going to get sick, Tokiha. You worry too much." She called over her shoulder.

Mai sighed as she looked helplessly after her friend. _Damn frozen yogurt,_ she fumed, _I never should have said anything to her._

* * *

><p>Has anyone had the frozen yogurt available on cruise ships? It's DELICIOUS. Much better than having Natsuki addicted to mayo (shit's nasty). Please leave any feedback, flames, e-cookies, etc. Thank you!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

After Natsuki had stopped throwing up the frozen yogurt, she and Mai decided to watch the ship cast off.

Mai comfortingly rubbed her friend's back as they walked. "I'm too nice to say 'I told you so', but you really should have stopped after the fifth bowl."

"Yeah, yeah. I learned my lesson: only eat four bowls at a time." Natsuki said, unfazed by the fact that she had barely survived after eating nearly a gallon of the yogurt. _I just have to eat in moderation, that's all._

"Seriously?" Mai cried. "You're not sick of that stuff yet?"

Natsuki snorted. "I would only be sick of it if I died." She sighed dreamily. "That stuff is amazing." She stopped once they had reached the back of the ship and peeked over the railing. The ship was due to start moving in a few minutes. A sudden need to confide in Mai washed over the dark haired girl. "Hey, Mai…" She said hesitantly.

Mai glanced sideways at her. That tone usually meant something pretty serious. "What is it?"

"I think it's this damn ship…but that Shizuru person I met earlier…was kind of pretty." Natsuki was normally very blunt, but with romance she tended to talked in circles. She breathed out heavily and leaned her arms and head against the railing.

Mai's eyes widened. "Oh." She cleared her throat and put an arm around her friend. "Well, last time I checked you were straight, right?"

Natsuki nodded. "Yeah. I went out with Masashi Takeda for a while last year." The two had met while he was practicing Kendo and he had almost disemboweled himself on his sword when she passed him. He was actually a decent guy, but he had broken it off since she didn't want to get too intimate with him. They had never gotten past boob grabs.

"I don't think you're gay." Mai said after much deliberation. "You are stranded on a ship with a thousand of lesbians, some of whom are pretty. You can be attracted to someone without wanting to jump them. For example, you're a fox, Natsuki." The biker blinked in surprise at the sudden compliment. "But I'm not attracted to you _that way_."

"That's good. 'Cause it would be kinda weird if you were."

Mai decided not to mention the fact that she had had a crush on the biker when she first met her. Thankfully, it didn't turn out to be more than that after Mai realized how crazy Natsuki was. The orange haired girl rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly and laughed. "Yeah…"

"So what you're saying is that…" Natsuki's face scrunched up with thought. "I'm straight and these fleeting flashes of attraction are just my way of coping with this trip?"

"Exactly!" Mai grinned. _I should totally switch from culinary arts to psychology. _"And as far as coping methods go…this one's not too bad. Just roll with the punches. You're going to get hit on by every gender, so it's okay to think some of them are good looking."

"But how should I react?" The dark haired girl wanted to know. "I suck at social interaction." She said in irritation.

Mai thought for a minute. "I know you always turn red as hell when somebody hits on you, but as for what to say…" She shrugged. "Just try to be nonchalant about it. Pretend they didn't say anything. Your crippling fear of being flirted with might go away in time."

Natsuki was sufficiently cheered up by this advice. "Thanks, Mai. You're a good friend sometimes."

Mai blushed a bit at the rare display of affection. "I also want to let you know that if you do turn out to be a raging homosexual, I'll still be your friend." She gave a mischievous smile. "I am pretty open-minded, you know."

"That's good to know." Natsuki rolled her eyes. Just then, the ship's horn blasted, making the girls jump. The two watched as the water beneath them started the churn and turn white as the cruise started to move. The ship vibrated slightly and soon they were heading out of the harbor and into open sea.

Mai broke the silence first. "We should probably go get ready for dinner. Early seating is just about finished."

Natsuki nodded in agreement and followed her friend back down to the cabin. Once there, they opened their luggage and pulled out slinky evening dresses. "We are going to look so hot." Mai exclaimed as she added some mascara and twirled around, her dress swirling up to her thighs.

"I know I don't normally like dressing up, but this looks pretty great." Natsuki said of her black dress. The dress was tight without suffocating the girl and had the strap crossing one shoulder, leaving the other one bare. It was also short enough to enjoy in the summer weather, ending a little above her knees. "I feel...sexy."

"Good! Just remember what I told you before. Work your sexiness!" Mai winked. She grabbed her small clutch and put on her shoes. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Hopefully the people we're sitting with are interesting."

"I'm sure they will be the best in the room!" Mai's ominous words echoed in the empty cabin as they went to the dining room.

* * *

><p>Natsuki glared at Mai for the tenth time in an hour. Mai's naïve words echoed through her head. <em>"I'm sure our tablemates will be so exciting! We'll all be the best of friends!"<em> Damn Mai and her childlike optimism. Their tablemates were boring as hell! Once their waitress had handed them menus, Mai had tried to make small talk and failed miserably. She was usually the master of pointless chatter, but the people sitting across from them seemed determined not to say anything.

One was a mousy looking girl with glasses who had glanced nervously at everyone for a few seconds. For some inexplicable reason, she had a nametag that read 'Yukino' on her dress. Natsuki thought it was so she wouldn't have to verbally introduce herself. The other was an emotionless blue haired woman who hadn't even bothered to look at anyone. She just stared unblinkingly out towards the surf. Her eyes were red like Shizuru's, but Natsuki subconsciously thought the Kyoto woman's were prettier.

"Soooo…" Natsuki started, attempting to make awkward talk. "What did you think of the third Terminator movie?" She asked the blue haired woman. "I thought they got your personality right, but the appearance was a bit oww! motherfu-!" Natsuki grunted as Mai's high heeled foot rammed into her shin.

"What the hell was that for?" The biker hissed at her friend, hiding her face behind a menu.

Mai gave her a glare while trying to look disapproving. "You were being rude to her."

"It was just a joke! She knew that…" Actually, it looked like the blue haired girl hadn't even registered the fact that she was being talked to. "Mai." Natsuki whispered suddenly. "Don't think I'm crazy, but I think she's a sexbot."

Mai raised an amused eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Well yeah! Why else would she be on this trip? She's obviously not human—" The biker received another kick to the shin. "Dammit, Mai! That hurts!" She snarled.

"It's supposed to, idiot! Sometimes I can't believe I'm friends with such a—"

"Have you decided what you would like to order?" A waitress appeared out of thin air, disrupting their argument.

Natsuki shot Mai a victorious look before turning to the server. "I'll have the lobster bisque simmered to perfection...and a cheeseburger with extra fries."

"Very well, and for you?" The waitress asked Mai.

"I will get the fruit platter that is," Mai read off the menu, "'tastefully shaped to look like a woman's body' and the roast duck."

Right before the waitress could ask what Yukino what she wanted, a soft yet powerful voice said, "Ara, it looks like you two accidentally sat at the wrong table." Natsuki whipped around to see the Shizuru woman from earlier standing behind her in a gorgeous, dark red dress. The biker's eyes were wide in surprise, but Shizuru didn't seem to be paying attention to her.

"W-what are you talking about?" The mousy woman said. "I thought this was our—"

"No, no, no." Shizuru cut her off smoothly. "There's been some sort of mistake. You two were supposed to sit at table 218 and my friend and I were to sit here. I'm sure you understand." The woman went over to Yukino and discreetly pushed a few fifty dollar bills into her hands. "You'll know you're at the right one if there is a boisterous blond sitting there. Enjoy your evening."

Yukino started down at the cash for a moment. "You're right. Miyu," She gestured to the blue haired woman. "we need to go to the right table."

Miyu slowly rose and obediently followed the smaller woman. "Wait." Natsuki called after her in vain. "I think you would find my theory on Google being the public front for Sky Net really interesting!" The robotic lady ignored her, but it didn't bother Natsuki. She had mainly done that to piss off Mai one last time, and it had worked if the expression Mai was sporting was any indication. Natsuki smiled angelically back at her.

The server didn't seem to care what was going on and listened to what Shizuru wanted to eat. "I'd also like this half of the menu for my friend." She gestured vaguely at one side of the list of food. "She's a big eater."

Once the waitress disappeared, Mai gave a small sigh of relief. "Thank god you showed up, Shizuru. If we had sat with those two any longer, they would have ruined our friendship irreparably."

The biker rolled her eyes. "Just because you don't like my sense of humor sometimes doesn't mean our friendship would be over." She turned an accusing gaze onto the honey-haired woman. "And what are _you_ doing here? Obviously this isn't your real table."

"I just wanted to see Natsuki one more time, is that too much to ask?" Shizuru said innocently.

_Remember what Mai told you! _Natsuki thought fiercely. _You can beat this flirting. _"We're on a two week long trip. You would have been seeing plenty of me elsewhere."

Shizuru frowned slightly when her flirting wasn't getting the proper reaction. Perhaps she should turn it up a notch. "What I would give to see _plenty_ of you, Nat-tsu-ki." She smiled serenely at the younger woman.

Natsuki was shaking from her effort to not blush, but it was all for naught. A slow, warm color made its way from the bottom of her neck to her face. "Idiot!" She said angrily. "I told you I'm straight, can't you take a hint!"

The words didn't seem to bother Shizuru, who hid a smirk behind her napkin while pretending to dab her lips. _This girl is too adorable. I hope this 'straight' thing of hers is just a phase. _

Mai was watching the two banter back and forth with a small smile. _I can see why Natsuki was worried about this woman. She seems like a player. Too bad Natsuki doesn't play for the same team. _

"Jeez, Shizuru!" A hand came out of nowhere to rest on Shizuru's shoulder. "At least tell me where you were gonna sit before leaving the cabin. I got yelled at by some crazy blond woman when I tried to sit at her table." The woman who spoke had short, spiky black hair and a lithe form. Mai's eyes ran up and down the girl twice before looking away. _She's really pretty_, Mai thought giddily.

"My apologies. But let me introduce you to our new tablemates." Shizuru gestured towards the biker. "This is Natsuki, who is straight and," she now pointed to the orange haired girl, "Mai, Natsuki's gay cousin."

Mai gave her best shot at the 'Tokiha Death Glare' towards her friend. Natsuki gave her a weak smile and a helpless shrug in return.

Shizuru continued on with her introduction. "Mai, Natsuki. This is Mikoto Minagi. She is one of my friends and a fellow student at Tokyo University."

Mikoto nodded to both of them before sitting down next to Mai. "Tokyo University?" Mai asked excitedly. "That's where Natsuki's going this fall! I'll be at Le Cordon Bleu. They're not too far away from each other."

"Do you want to give them our address while you're at it?" Natsuki muttered, fiddling with her silverware.

"Yes, would you like to?" Shizuru asked sweetly, receiving a dirty look from Natsuki.

"You're studying at…Le Cordon Bleu?" Mikoto questioned Mai, her big eyes full of admiration and wonder. "You must be amazing! I'm studying to be a nutritionist. I wouldn't mind taste-testing some of your food." She said shyly.

Mai blushed at the praise. "I'd love that!" _This is obviously meant to be! She's even older than me, my perfect type of woman. _

The waitress came back with plates full of steaming food. Most of the dishes were placed in front of Mikoto, who looked like she had a severe case of food lust. Natsuki looked on as the girl enthusiastically dug into the feast in front of her. The biker raised a skeptical eyebrow at Shizuru. "Was she kidding about becoming a nutritionist?"

The red eyed woman was surprised to find that Natsuki was willingly starting up a conversation with her. "She wasn't kidding. Of course, she'd be more of the 'do as I say, not as I do' type. I've only known her for the past year, but apparently she's always been a big eater. It must be how she maintains that large brain of hers ne, Mikoto?" The spiky haired girl nodded sagely as she continued to slurp noodles into her mouth. Shizuru continued, "She is one of the brightest in our class and she even skipped her senior year in high school."

Mai stopped stealing glances at the spiky haired girl to look at Shizuru. "What? She skipped an entire _year_?"

Shizuru nodded. "Yes, in fact she's probably around your age."

_Oh my god, this is priceless_. Natsuki thought upon realizing why Mai was upset by this information. _She was totally crushing on Mikoto just to find out she's younger! _The biker clutched her stomach suddenly and her face took on a pained expression.

Shizuru caught Natsuki's actions out of the corner of her eye. "Are you all right, Natsuki?" She asked, concerned. Was it something the girl had eaten?

Natsuki grimaced and started to rise from her seat. "Please…excuse me…for a moment." She gasped before pushing her chair back and heading towards the restroom.

The other women looked after her. "Perhaps I should go…" Shizuru started to say before Mai placed a hand over her own.

"I don't think Natsuki would appreciate that." Mai said with sincerity. "She hates to let anyone see her vulnerable and she hasn't exactly…warmed up to you yet."

Shizuru was surprised by this honesty and also a little hurt. "Oh…alright." She said slowly. "I'll stay here then."

Mai realized the effect her words had on the woman. "It's not you." She said quickly. "Natsuki just takes awhile to warm up to somebody. She's always been a bit antisocial, but once you get to know her she can also be really nice. When I broke my leg sophomore year, she laughed her ass off for a long time. But after that, she found another wheelchair and raced me from class to class." Mai smiled fondly at the memory. Natsuki had set several new wheelchair records that month, including how many stairs she could go down and the longest known wheelie in Fuuka Academy history. "I'll go see how she's doing this time, okay?" Shizuru nodded as she watched Mai make her way across the dining room. _Those two are so different...it's hard to believe they're related._

* * *

><p>Mai hesitantly opened the door to the lady's bathroom. "Natsuki, are you okay?"<p>

"Mai?" A voice inside answered shakily. "I'm fine."

"Really? Because you don't sound…" The orange haired girl stepped fully inside the bathroom and her eyes widened at the sight in front of her.

Natsuki had tears streaking down her face and was still holding her stomach. She tried to compose herself when she looked back at Mai, but ended up…_laughing_?

Mai was confused and more than a little angry. "What the hell are you laughing about?"

"Y-you!" Natsuki panted, bracing herself against the counter. "This is so _fucking _ironic! Every time you're interested in a girl, she turns out to be younger than you! It's hilarious!"

"I—what? That's what you've been doing in here the whole time, laughing your ass off?" Mai yelled. _I can't believe I defended her to Shizuru_. "I was worried about you! I thought you were dying in here." She turned red. "And I _don't _like Mikoto!"

Natsuki wiped away some of her tears. "Oh, yes you do. You looked totally disappointed when Shizuru said how old she was. And seeing she was born in July, you're definitely older than her."

"How did you find this out?" Mai demanded, crossing her arms over her busty chest.

"She told me somewhere in between the ramen and steak." She patted Mai's shoulder. "It looks like Lady Luck does not favor you."

Mai was crestfallen. "She really is…younger than me?" A thought hit her and she grabbed Natsuki's shoulders. "Change birthdays with me! Then there won't be a problem!"

"You have finally become a full-fledged psychopath." Natsuki said in disbelief, shaking herself out of Mai's grip. "I always knew that cheery demeanor of yours was covering up something much darker. What is your obsession with age, anyways?"

Mai sighed. "I don't really know. I just thought my first girlfriend should be…older than me. More experienced."

"Just because someone is younger than you doesn't mean they don't have experience." Natsuki rubbed her face tiredly. "I can't believe I'm actually giving _you_ the relationship advice, but just give Mikoto a shot if you're interested. It would be stupid to mess up a potential relationship just because you're not making an effort." _Hmm, that sounds like something meaningful…something I should listen to…_Natsuki frowned. _I think I'm just hungry. _"Let's go finish dinner and I'll watch you flirt with Mikoto, alright?"

Mai smiled and gave a small nod. The two pushed their way out of the bathroom and headed back to their table. Since the time they had entered the bathroom, Shizuru and Mikoto had started in on the desserts.

"Hey, guys!" Mikoto said around a piece of cake. "You almost missed the good stuff!" She casually pushed one of the plates towards Mai. "You can have some of this if you'd like."

Mai reddened slightly. "Oh, thank you." She took a bite of brownie. "Mmm, this tastes similar to the ones I make! I wonder if the ship's chef stole one of my recipes!" She joked.

Mikoto laughed. "If that's true, your food must be killer! Though it would have to be, coming from a future Le Cordon Bleu graduate." She smiled cheekily at the orange haired girl.

As the two women bantered playfully back and forth, Natsuki watched them, a small smile unknowingly creeping along her face. _Even though I give Mai a lot of shit, I'm always going to be happy if she's happy. _

"Are you feeling better, Natsuki?" Shizuru's voice cut through Natsuki's thoughts. The red eyed woman gazed at the biker with concern in her eyes.

"Uhh, yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" Natsuki asked, completely forgetting the scene she had made earlier.

Shizuru looked relived, but raised a questioning eyebrow. "You were the one who rushed to the bathroom, correct? I thought you might have had a bad bite of food."

"Oh, that!" Natsuki chuckled. _Shit. I don't want to rat out Mai_. "You're right, it was that damn cheeseburger. I guess it was a little too rare. But I'm all good now." She flashed the woman a thumbs up.

"I'm glad that Natsuki is feeling better." Shizuru teased. "I was worried that she might need some sort of resuscitation, possibly mouth-to-mouth if the situation got too serious."

Natsuki narrowed her eyes at the woman. "Thanks for your concern. But I think I would have preferred death or at least a coma than the 'kiss of life' from you." She smirked internally. Apparently she had found a method of dealing with flirting: insulting the person who was trying to make her blush. _Flawless victory!_ She thought to herself gleefully.

"Ikezu!" Shizuru looked highly affronted. "Women would wait in line for me to kiss them!" Shizuru had never had anyone turn her down before and she wasn't liking this experience. Especially since it was coming from a gorgeous woman who had just crossed her legs, allowing her dress to slip up her thigh a few inches. _Ara, bad thoughts. Focus. _"I have even made a few women who thought they were straight spend the night with me." She sighed dramatically. "This beauty I possess is a curse at times."

"Then they must have been gay to begin with!" Natsuki exclaimed, earnestly leaning forward in her seat. "You just seduced them while they were questioning their sexuality." She shook her head disapprovingly. "Not cool, Fujino."

"I take it Natsuki has never questioned her orientation?" Shizuru asked sweetly. It was too much fun getting this girl riled up.

"Of course not! I'm the straightest girl I know!" Which wasn't saying a lot, since Natsuki really only knew Mai. _I should probably get a straight friend so this statement is more valid. _

Shizuru had an idea. She leaned forward conspiratorially. "May I give you a test to see if you really are straight?"

Natsuki thought about it for a moment. On one hand, the woman was bound to manipulate the questions to make Natsuki think she was gay. On the other hand, she was never one to back down from a challenge (even that one time when she had been dared to down a whole bottle of Hell's Inferno Hot Chili Sauce. Her doctor told her that no human should have been able to survive that). Natsuki finally decided. "I guess, but no awkward questions!"

_Now I need to think of questions that will make Natsuki think she is a lesbian_, Shizuru thought. _But I'll have to be sneaky about it. _"First…what kind of car do you drive?"

Natsuki was relieved. That was an easy question. "Cars are for sissies. I have a motorcycle." The biker realized she had made a mistake when Shizuru gave her a knowing look. "It's a sport bike! Not some Harley." _That was close! I have to watch what I say._

"Ara, I never pictured Natsuki as a motorcyclist. What do you wear on a typical day?"

"Depending on the weather, it's usually my motorcycle jacket, a tank top, some jeans, and a pair of Converse." Natsuki shrugged. She dressed to be comfortable, not fashionable.

Shizuru pictured the girl wearing that clothing and sighed wistfully. Natsuki clearly had no idea about how she affected her. "Last question." Shizuru stated, mentally putting the picture of Natsuki into a vault for later. She leaned closer to the dark haired girl and whispered, "What would your reaction be if I kissed you right now?"

Natsuki definitely wasn't prepared for that question and couldn't control the blush that moved across her face like wildfire. "Baka!" She sputtered. "What the hell kind of question is that?" She stood up and turned towards Mai. "Let's get out of here. Fujino is creeping me out."

Mai gave her a pleading look and Natsuki stared back, eyes wide and unblinking. Mai's eye twitched and she finally blinked. "Urgh, fine." She got up and gave Mikoto a smile. "I'll see you around." The two had traded phone numbers while Shizuru and Natsuki were talking.

"Yep, and I can give you a call tomorrow when Shizuru and I get to the sundeck. We can go on the waterslide together!" Mikoto said enthusiastically.

The orange haired girl imagined Mikoto in a bathing suit and grinned. "Sounds like fun, I'm looking forward to it!"

Natsuki looked down at Shizuru, who looked a bit guilty. The younger girl sighed. _Now she's making me feel bad_. "It sounds like we'll be seeing one another tomorrow, so umm...have a good night?" _I don't really know where I was going with that sentence. _

"Yes...have sweet dreams, Natsuki." Shizuru replied pleasantly. Perhaps this dark haired beauty wasn't as ill-tempered as she thought. _I will have to investigate this further. Well, I might as well get one more blush out of her before she leaves. _Shizuru looked up at Natsuki with big, innocent eyes. "Hopefully these dreams will involve me, a blindfold, and some edible chocolate body paint."

"AARGH." Natsuki grumbled as her face turned red once again. She tried to ignore that from where she was standing, she had a good view down Shizuru's dress. "I take back my 'good night'! It's mine now, you don't deserve it anymore!" Natsuki and Mai made their way out of the dining room, Mai throwing one last wave over her shoulder towards Mikoto.

"Mou, Shizuru. Why did you scare that girl away? She took her friend with her." Mikoto asked the ruby eyed girl with a slight pout. To strangers, the two of them seemed like an unlikely pair. But both women thoroughly enjoyed fine food and fine female company. They were both idols at Tokyo U, Mikoto because of her skills with a kendo sword and Shizuru because of her appealing personality. Once they realized how well they got along with each other, they became fast friends.

"Ara, Mikoto, I apologize. I guess I came on a little too strong. But I did manage to find out some crucial information about Natsuki." Shizuru placed head on her hand thoughtfully.

"Yeah? And what was that?"

Shizuru thought about the way Natsuki had faltered around her last question. And how she had never answered it. "I believe she may not be as straight as she hopes." _And that means I have a chance after all._

* * *

><p>A few hours later:<p>

Natsuki tossed back and forth in her sleep, strange sounds escaping from her.

_"Na-tsu-ki, I do believe you are peeking through that blindfold." Shizuru whispered as she unzipped her dress. The material dropped to the floor and Shizuru was standing before her with only a matching pair of red bra and panties on. "Now, where did I put that chocolate..."_

"Natsuki! Natsuki, wake up!" A pair of hands shook Natsuki out of her sleep. She opened her eyes to find Mai leaning over her. "Are you alright? You're all sweaty."

"Uhh...yeah. I just...I had a bad dream. Go back to sleep." Natsuki told her friend. Once Mai had gotten back to her own bed, Natsuki let out a deep breath and stared at the ceiling with wide eyes. _Shit, that dream is already fading. What was it about? And why do I feel kind of turned on?_

* * *

><p>Damn, don't you hate it when you know you had a good dream, but it totally vanishes from memory? So does Natsuki. Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter, which is dedicated to Do It Alone by Sugarcult since it's a fun song to write to. I want to add that the next chapter will be a 'day at sea' chapter, and Tomoe will have more of an appearance. As usual, I greatly appreciate your feedback!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

"Gooooood morning, passengers! This is your cruise director Tomoe Marguerite speaking. The weather is beautiful and we have a fun filled day at sea ahead of us. If you'd like, please join me on the lido deck at 3 o'clock for some exciting water activities!" The speaker cut off with an annoyingly loud screech.

"Shut the hell up…cheerful bitch." Natsuki murmured as she rolled over in her bed. The cruise director had woken her up with that damn announcement and now she couldn't go back to sleep. Why did they have to install speakers directly into the cabins? Natsuki nestled back into her pillow and tugged her blanket up to her shoulders. Now all she needed were a few more hours of blissful—

The curtains in front of the balcony were wrenched open, letting blinding sunlight into the small cabin. Natsuki let out a screech and quickly buried her head under her pillow. "Mai," She yelled, panicked. "The curtains! Close the curtains!"

Somewhere above her, Natsuki heard a snort. "What are you, a vampire?" A pair of hands slowly crept up to her shoulders and grabbed the blanket, yanking it off the dark haired girl. "Get up! Breakfast will be over soon if you sleep any longer."

"How did I ever call you my friend…" Natsuki glared up at Mai, who had walked over to the vanity and started to apply makeup. "You're lucky I don't sleep naked, Tokiha." The biker gave a long, slow stretch and crawled towards the end of the bed.

"Aah, but so many girls on this ship would _kill_ to see you naked." Mai replied sweetly. "If you don't want to room with me, I'm sure one of them wouldn't mind sharing a room with you."

Natsuki gave a vicious frown as she contemplated that fact. _I think I'd rather take my chances with Mai_. But that didn't mean she was backing down from this argument. "I bet you wouldn't mind sharing a cabin with Mikoto." She grumbled, folding her arms and generally looking like a petulant child.

"That's the best you've got? Really?" Mai retorted with a disappointed sigh. "I thought Natsuki Kuga was known for her snarkiness. I guess I was mistaken."

Natsuki rubbed at her eyes in frustration. "Fine, you win this round. I'm too damn tired to properly make a witty comeback." After her dream she had stayed awake, trying to piece it together. The only thing she remembered was…a mysterious voice. _What a big help that is._ "I'll put on a better showing tomorrow." She promised. And so went their morning routine. They flung insults at each other until one of them acknowledged a winner. It helped them wake up and kept their wits sharp.

Once Natsuki had dragged herself out of bed, she put on her navy halter bikini and started to cover it with shorts and a tank top.

Mai, who was already dressed, tapped her foot impatiently. "So you've decided that you aren't into Shizuru, correct?" She asked out of the blue.

"Aack!" Natsuki found herself entangled in her shirt. Mai jumped up and helped guide her limbs through the correct parts of the tank top. "Don't ask me something weird like that when I'm getting dressed. And no, I'm totally not into Fujino." She pointed to herself emphatically. "Straight, remember?"

The orange haired girl gave her a doubtful look before saying, "Then just remember what I talked about earlier: find a way to deflect the flirting. Don't let it affect you and turn you into an even bigger idiot."

"I'm just going to ignore that last part." Natsuki replied with a small glare before smiling smugly. "I guess you were too busy chatting it up with Mikoto last night to notice, but I totally have the flirting thing under control." The biker quickly gave a rundown of how she had scoffed and made fun of Shizuru's comments instead of blushing.

Mai looked duly impressed. "Very good. But try not to say anything too mean. If you insult her one too many times, I might not see Mikoto as much. So if worst comes to worst, just put up with her banter for my sake."

"Seeing as I'm a horribly selfish person, what would I get from you in exchange?" Natsuki asked her friend. Mai had the dignity to look affronted. "After all," Natsuki continued, "being on this ship will probably damage my psyche beyond repair. There's only so much same-sex flirting a poor straight girl can handle."

Mai gaped at her soundlessly for a few moments. "Wha…_seriously_? Friends are supposed to do this kind of thing free of charge!"

Natsuki shrugged as if the situation was out of her hands. "I wouldn't mind being your wingman if the situation was…slightly different. But after all of this" The girl narrowed her eyes, "and those _tours_ you booked, I think I deserve some kind of compensation."

Her friend sighed. "You're never going to let me live this down, are you?"

"Only if I can get one…tiny…miniscule thing in return." Natsuki pinched her fingers together to show how insignificant this gift would be.

"What?" Mai asked warily. _Please don't ask for expensive lingerie..._

Natsuki broke into a wide smile. "A gift certificate for one of those frozen yogurt places downtown. I never realized how awesome that stuff was until this trip. Is that okay?"

"Fine," Mai sighed, defeated. At least that wasn't too expensive. "Now let's get some breakfast."

* * *

><p>Natsuki's mouth watered at the sight. In front of her was a full Western-style buffet. Fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, French toast, pancakes, waffles…the options seemed limitless. <em>Holy shit, I love cruises.<em> "Check this out, Mai!" The biker called out happily. She showed the busty girl her fully stacked plate.

Mai blanched at the sight of so much food. "I won't be surprised if you get diabetes by the end of this trip."

Natsuki ignored her and dug into her meal with vigor that wasn't present just a few minutes earlier.

"So…what do you want to do with the rest of the day?" Mai asked her hungry friend. "Besides eat, that is."

Natsuki pulled an honest-to-god chicken bone out of her mouth that must have been five inches long. Mai stared at it in horror. "Hmm…" Natsuki said casually, not noticing Mai's face, "I don't know. Maybe try out the waterslides? They look pretty awesome."

Mai continued to stare at her friend. "You just…how did you…where did that chicken bone come from?"

"What?" Natsuki asked defensively. "They had fried chicken and waffles up there. Apparently Americans eat this stuff for breakfast all the time." She impaled a waffle on the end of her fork and held it near Mai's face. "You wanna try?"

"Oh god, no." Mai resisted the urge to dry heave at the sight of the syrup-drenched mess. "I'm just going to stick with my fruit salad if that's alright with you."

The blue haired girl shrugged and continued to eat. "That's your prerogative, Tokiha. But you're totally missing out."

Mai was spared from responding when she caught sight of Mikoto and instantly brightened up. She waved an arm at Mikoto and the younger girl waved back and started to walk towards Mai and Natsuki. "We're going to have company, so clean up!" Mai hissed at her friend who looked up, clueless. "_Mikoto_." Mai stressed.

"Oh, right. I don't think she'll mind the amount of food I have." _Actually, she'll probably try to steal some of it_.

"Hi guys!" Mikoto said happily as she stopped at their table. Now that the younger girl was closer, Mai could see that she was wearing a cropped tank top, exposing some of her toned stomach and a sarong which stopped at mid-thigh. _For however much she eats, she sure keeps her body in great shape_, Mai thought distractedly. After giving Mai a smile, Mikoto turned towards the table's other occupant. "Whatcha eating, Natsuki?"

Natsuki gave the girl a suspicious look. "Nothin'." She said guardedly, hands unconsciously pulling her plate closer to herself. "Just some breakfast."

"Yeah the breakfasts sure are nice here, aren't they?" Mikoto asked conversationally. She slumped into an open seat and put her hands behind her head. "What are you guys going to do today?"

"We were just discussing that." Mai said quickly before Natsuki could say anything. "Our day is open. Do you have any plans?" She asked, a bit shyly.

Mikoto grinned. "Nope. Shizuru and I were going to get some sun and maybe see what the cruise director was planning later on. But I thought you said you'd go on the waterslides with me." The girl's smile got even wider as she noticed Mai's slight blush. "I'm not gonna let you get out of that, you know."

Mai tore her gaze away from Mikoto and, with a hint of desperateness, turned to Natsuki. "I'm sure Shizuru wouldn't mind hanging out with you, if you'd like." Mikoto nodded along in silent agreement.

_Dammit she's not even here but I somehow know she's smirking at me_, Natsuki thought darkly. But Mai was giving her a pleading look. That look could end wars, solve world hunger, and reduced Natsuki to a weaker state of mind. The biker put on a pained smile. "Sure. That would be…lovely." She gritted between her teeth.

"Great!" Mikoto said, jumping up and grabbing ahold of Mai. "I'll text Shizuru so she knows to meet you here. See you later!" Mai was dragged behind the energized girl and managed a quick and silent 'thank you' gesture to her friend. Natsuki scowled in reply.

The dark haired girl slouched in her chair and bounced her foot up and down in impatience. How had the day already gotten like this? The only good thing had been the breakfast buffet and even that was closing to prepare for lunch! And now she had to entertain Shizuru. Natsuki narrowed her eyes. _Who knows what her definition of 'entertainment' might be. _Natsuki flushed slightly at that troubling thought. The flush quickly faded as she heard the women around her start to shout and wolf-whistle.

"Whoa!"

"There really is a god!"

"You single?"

The biker looked around for the source of the comments and her jaw dropped in shock.

People have said that one piece swimsuits were prudish and modest, a thing of the past…these people had clearly never seen Shizuru Fujino in _this _swimsuit. The suit was black, low-cut, and daring. There was a circular piece cut out above her chest, exposing much of Shizuru's breasts. The bottom part was just as skimpy and there was just enough fabric to cover her lower regions. Thin strings tied the front of the swimsuit around to her back.

However it wasn't the swimsuit people were staring at, but the woman wearing it. Shizuru's ample chest and curvy hips filled the swimsuit perfectly. The woman exuded a confidence that many envied and admired. She was the one person in the world who could turn a swimsuit into a piece of art. _And she was walking straight towards Natsuki_.

Natsuki's hand unconsciously came up to her head and slapped over her eyes, hiding Shizuru from view. _Oh my god! What the hell is she wearing? And why can't I look at her? _Natsuki's heart thudded in her chest and her face heated up embarrassingly.

A cool hand touched her bare shoulder, making her jump up in surprise. "Ara, Natsuki. Are you alright?" A calm and collected Shizuru asked in amusement.

"Y-yeah. Of c-course." Natsuki cleared her throat and looked anywhere but the woman in front of her. Her eyes caught the other vacationers who were still checking Shizuru out. "You know everyone is staring at you, right?"

_Everyone but you. _Shizuru thought. She had bought the swimsuit on a whim before the trip and never thought she would actually wear it. But she just _had_ to see how it would affect the girl in front of her. Every other woman might have been staring at her, but the one she actually wanted to be checked out by had her eyes clenched shut. Shizuru gracefully sat down next to Natsuki. "Would it make you more comfortable if I covered up?"

Natsuki hmmphed, crossed her arms, and looked to the side. "Look, if you want to wear it, wear it." She grumbled, "I'm not trying to make you feel bad about yourself. I was just…taken by surprise when I saw you wearing that…incredibly skimpy suit." _Though I don't know how you're always able make me feel so friggin' awkward. _

Shizuru softened at the sight of a bumbling Natsuki. "Ara, so Natsuki can be sweet after all." While her tone was teasing, her words were sincere. She decided to change the subject before Natsuki could give a tart reply. "Would you like to go swimming? After all, that is why we're wearing bathing suits."

"Ahh…sure." Natsuki said weakly, still a little caught off guard with Shizuru's swimsuit and the surprise of Shizuru taking charge so confidently. "If you're going to be on a summer cruise, I suppose you should at least go swimming."

"But if you are hesitant about swimming, I'm sure I saw a topless sunning deck somewhere." Shizuru said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. In reply, Natsuki buried her head in her arms. The wheat haired woman chuckled. "Swimming it is then."

Natsuki stood up reluctantly and shed her shirt and shorts, revealing a _very_ nice body if Shizuru had to say anything about it. The dark haired woman was leaner and more toned than Shizuru and her smooth skin was just a bit paler.

"Ara, so this is what you have been hiding under those clothes, Na-tsu-ki." The university student said, her eyes still roaming over the figure in front of her. "But what is this?" She moved closer and softly touched a spot on Natsuki's lower back.

The younger girl jumped at the sudden contact and shifted away slightly, her own finger idly tracing the small, perfectly round scar. "It's a spider bite. I got it when I was younger. Pretty cool, eh?"

"Yes, how did you know I am weak-willed when it comes to girls with scars?" Shizuru once again moved closer to Natsuki. "You could say they are my…kryptonite."

Natsuki smiled weakly and tilted her head towards the pool. "I thought we were going to do some swimming, so let's go!" _Oh god, please stop flirting with me, _she begged silently.

The two headed towards the swimming area, one with more misgivings than the other. The pool was surprisingly sparse of women. Natsuki remembered reading that the ship had three pools and an assortment of jacuzzis, perhaps the ladies were spread out between them all. Natsuki eyed the pool speculatively and wondered if she could cannonball into it without pissing anyone off. She glanced back at Shizuru, who pulled her eyes up from Natsuki's ass a second too late. "Oi! Eyes up here!" The biker growled, face flaring up. Her expression turned serious. "Come here, I think you have a bug or something on you."

"A bug? I don't feel anything." Shizuru came forward obediently and awaited Natsuki's inspection. "Do you see it?" While Shizuru Fujino was known to be fearless, she did have a distaste for insects. Plus she might be able to tease the younger girl about a full body search—

"Yeah it's right…here!" Natsuki pushed the surprised Shizuru into the deep part of the pool and jumped in after her. All the sounds of the ship were muted under the water and Shizuru saw the younger girl floating ethereally in front of her. The only off-putting thing was the huge grin on her face. _That sly trickster_, Shizuru thought as she hid her own small smile. It was nice to see the other girl so happy, even if it was at her expense.

Natsuki pushed against the pool's floor and went up to the surface, a sputtering Shizuru coming up soon after. The dark haired girl was still chortling. "I can't believe you fell for that! That's the oldest trick ever!"

Shizuru slicked her wet hair back and sniffled. Her eyes started to water, helped along by the chlorine. "I guess I trusted Natsuki too much to believe she was capable of such a betrayal. I'll just go back to my cabin now that I know how Natsuki really is." She made her way to the side of the pool.

"Hey, wait up!" Natsuki swam after her. "I was just kidding around. And if you did have any bugs on you, they're definitely not there anymore!" She added brightly. There was no response from the morose figure. The biker turned Shizuru around only to be faced with a pair of sadly quivering lips. "Ah, I'm sorry! Please don't cry." _I hate it when girls cry…_

Shizuru put her hands on Natsuki's shoulders. "I forgive you, if you will forgive me for what I'm about to do." She moved herself closer to the girl until they were almost nose to nose. "I'm sorry Natsuki, but I can't help myself." She whispered.

Natsuki was freaking out inside. _Holy shit, she's going to kiss me! Mai, help me! Wait, I'm not telepathic. Oh god, why is she closing her eyes?_ Natsuki closed her eyes as well, bracing for the kiss that was sure to come.

Instead the hands on her shoulders pushed her downwards into the water, effectively dunking her. Natsuki was halfway between extreme relief and disappointment, and took a moment to compose herself. She emerged as a wall of hair, her arms raised threateningly. Shizuru laughed at the sight, clutching her side. "Now we're even! I didn't know you bore such a resemblance to that girl from The Ring!"

Natsuki dipped her head back into the water to tame her hair. "You're crazy, Fujino. And diabolical. I like it." She gave the older girl a nod of approval before splashing her with water. "But that doesn't mean you've won!"

What followed was a short but furious water fight, both sides willing to battle the other until the bitter end. Water was thrown, swiped, and spit at their adversary. Just as a conqueror was emerging, the girls were stopped. "You two! No horseplay in the pool! Get out now." Natsuki stopped first to try to see who had said that, allowing an opening. A wall of water slapped her face and she gave her opponent a dirty look. "I SAID NO SPLASHING! GET. OVER. HERE." This time Shizuru straightened up and turned to the source of the voice.

"Ara, isn't that the cruise director?" She asked Natsuki as they headed towards the pool's steps.

Natsuki nodded, slinking behind Shizuru. "Yeah, she looks like she's about to freak out." _You go first._

Tomoe Marguerite had been a cruise director for four years and had seen everything. Two lesbians splashing in the pool didn't impress her. She dealt with that every day! But she definitely wasn't expecting a goddess to emerge from the pool. A dripping wet goddess with a seriously sexy swimsuit and piercing ruby eyes. She couldn't possibly reprimand this object of beauty! Tomoe turned her gaze to the woman behind her instead. Yes, she was the one who must have initiated the water fight.

"You," The director pointed a digit accusingly at Natsuki. "What do you have to say for splashing this woman? What did she do to deserve such treatment?"

_Are you kidding me?_ _I feel like I'm in high school again_. Natsuki thought, quirking an eyebrow in amusement_._ She loved messing with people who acted like they had a sticks up their asses. Marguerite would be especially easy since Natsuki could already tell she was into Shizuru by the way she wouldn't stop staring at her body. "Damn, woman. Calm down. Trust me, it was..._consensual_." Shizuru swung her head around to gape at Natsuki. _Ara, where did that come from?_ Thankfully, the younger girl was too busy antagonizing the cruise director to notice such an unflattering look.

"W-what?" Tomoe sputtered, unprepared for such a suggestive remark. "Apologize to this woman, right now!"

"I'm serious!" Natsuki exclaimed. She bit her lip and looked at the floor. "She initiated it and I just…followed suit. I've never done it with a girl before so I didn't realize they, or at least Shizuru, would keep going until you're soaking—"

"Stop!" The director screeched. Why was this girl being so difficult? This Shizuru person would never splash or…or _touch _this delinquent. "You will not talk about her like she not here! Can't you see that you are distressing her?"

Natsuki was indeed affecting Shizuru, but definitely not the way Marguerite thought. The wheat haired woman was slightly flushed and her heart was beating quicker than usual. _If she keeps talking like this, I'm going to have to take her right here and now. A person only has so much self-control. _The university student somehow managed to calm herself down and give the director a smile of gratitude. "Thank you for all of your help, but I assure you that I will be fine."

Tomoe looked greatly relieved. "That's great! Fantastic! Then I guess I'll start announcing my activity for the afternoon. Please excuse me." Tomoe pulled out a chair at a nearby seat, motioning Shizuru to sit down. After Shizuru was settled, Tomoe gave Natsuki a searing look as she passed her. Natsuki gave her an innocently puzzled expression in return.

As soon as the director was out of sight, the biker took the seat on the other side of the table. "That woman is almost as insane as you are! But at least you're not outwardly psychotic."

"Oh, is that what you think about me?" Shizuru quirked an eyebrow and crossed her legs at the ankles. "Please continue with your diagnosis, Doctor Kuga." She was surprised the younger girl was suddenly so companionable. Apparently all it took was a water fight and a potentially unstable cruise director for them to bond.

Natsuki shifted in her seat eagerly. "Alright, so you obviously have a _deeply_ disturbed mind to put me through all of that teasing." She pretended to smoke on a cigar and adopted a Austrian accent. "This must have stemmed from an experience in your childhood. Tell me, how is your relationship with your mother?"

"Well done, Natsuki. I'm very impressed." Shizuru even clapped for a moment. "But now that you have entertained yourself, can you please tell me how you learned how to talk so dirty?" _And would you like to continue doing so, perhaps in my room?_

"Hmm? I wasn't trying to." Natsuki answered, eyes going unusually wide. "You're the first girl I've had a water fight with since Mai freaks out if she gets water in her eyes. And you really did get me wet—"

Shizuru coughed and pretended to dislodge something from her throat. This girl would be the death of her!

"You okay?" Natsuki asked, suppressing a grin. _Jeez, even I'm not that naïve! You deserve to get uncomfortable if you think I am. _Shizuru was still trying to clear her throat and without thinking, Natsuki reached across the table and rubbed Shizuru's back for a moment before crossing her arms and focusing her attention towards Tomoe.

Shizuru looked at Natsuki in surprise at the sudden but welcoming touch. _What has gotten into this girl today? Whatever it is, I like it. _She too turned to watch Tomoe's speech, her back still tingling where Natsuki had touched it.

"Ladies, ladies. It's good to see you all!" Tomoe exclaimed into her microphone. She was answered by cheering women. "Our afternoon activity will be Otome's one and only belly flop competition! This is a serious contest and the prize is a $100.00 credit that can be used anywhere on the ship. If you'd like to join, form a line at the deep end of the pool within the next ten minutes. I hope to see many of you there!" She winked and headed back to the pool to rapturous applause.

The director stopped back Shizuru's table. "I totally forgot to ask you for your name! I'm Tomoe Marguerite." She held out a hand expectantly. _Touch me touch me touch me touch— _

"Shizuru Fujino. It's a pleasure to meet you." Shizuru hesitantly stretched her own hand out and it was snatched by the green haired woman, who seemed to be doing more caressing than shaking. The wheat haired woman quickly took her hand back and forced a smile on her face.

"Yeah…same here." Tomoe quickly scanned her brain for an excuse to attach herself to this woman. "Would you like to dine with me at the captain's table tonight? It's the best table on the ship."

"I would be honored," Shizuru replied, surprised at the invitation. "as long as I can bring my friend with me." There was no way she'd eat with only Tomoe as a familiar face. She could tell Tomoe was way past the 'crush' phase and moving quickly into 'obsession'. Shizuru had only agreed because she thought it would make Natsuki jealous. Instead, the green eyed girl had taken on the face she apparently wore when Tomoe was around—one of gleeful amusement.

"Yes, of course." Tomoe quickly agreed. "But where is your friend?" _I only see this troublemaker who shouldn't even be sitting near you. Doesn't she have somebody else to terrorize?_

"I'd like to bring Natsuki, if that's okay. I promise she won't splash any water in the dining room." Shizuru smiled serenely as Tomoe's smile soured. Natsuki stopped watching Tomoe to give Shizuru a betrayed look. She didn't want to dine with this psycho! But she kept her mouth shut and contemplated what her move against this green haired woman would be.

_These two really _are _friends? I can't believe it_! "That would be fine." She said a little stiffly. "I have to go start the competition. But dinner is during the late seating. Just tell one of the servers that Tomoe invited you to the captain's table."

"Oi." Natsuki finally spoke up. "Marguerite."

"That's _Director_ Marguerite to you." _Scum_, she added silently.

Natsuki stood up and walked nonchalantly towards Tomoe. "I'd like to join this belly flop competition of yours. It sounds so…juvenile ." Tomoe's nostrils flared at the insult. Natsuki continued, "And it would be _lovely_ to spend all that cruise credit on booze and chocolate."

Tomoe glanced at Shizuru, who was pretending to watch the cooks place lunch out in the buffet, and grabbed Natsuki's arm, hauling her away. She shoved the biker towards the line by the pool.

"You know, I'm normally the impartial judge in these competitions, but for you I'll make an exception." Tomoe hissed. "Besides, I could buy Shizuru a beautiful knock-off necklace with that money. She'd be so grateful for it…" The director was in her own world for a moment. "And then she won't have to look at thugs like you, because she'd be with _me_."

Natsuki had stayed silent through the grabbing and shoving, but enough was enough. Something didn't feel right about this lady. At first it was funny to see Marguerite fawning over Shizuru, but now she was talking like she wanted to _own _her. And this was just within twenty minutes of meeting her! Natsuki may not have known the university student for very long either, but she would do her damnedest to keep her away from this nutjob. "Bitch, it is _on_."

* * *

><p>Oh snap! I figured it was time to upgrade Shiznat from bickering non-friends to bickering friends. And I like writing Natsuki as a pretend naive girl saying naughty innuendos. You'll definitely see more of that! Since the chapter's extreme tardiness, there are two chapter songs instead of one (I know that's why you guys wait for my story, don't lie). First is Zip Lock by Lit and second is Love Cats by The Cure.<p>

To all those who celebrate it, I wish you a happy early Halloween!


	6. Chapter 6

*chuckles nervously* Hi! I dusted off this story earlier this summer and decided to write another chapter. Yay? A lot has happened since I last updated. Moving cross country to start university in another state being one of them. To be honest, I don't know how the updates for this story will be (though they will most likely be sporadic). If anyone's still willing to put up with this story, I thank you for your support! A passing knowledge of the film _Rocky_ is encouraged (though not necessary) and there are some spoilers for it and the sequel. So if you are interested in watching it, you may want to do it before reading the chapter.

* * *

><p><em>Previously on…<em>

_"I'd like to join this belly flop competition of yours. It sounds so…juvenile ."_

_"You know, I'm normally the impartial judge in these competitions, but for you I'll make an exception."_

_"Bitch, it is on."_

* * *

><p>Natsuki studied her opponents carefully. After all, it would be presumptuous of her to think this contest would only be between her and Tomoe. Many of the women were of average size while some had protruding bellies. They were tittering amongst one another and some were wondering out loud how much a belly flop would hurt. <em>Never mind, the only competition is Tomoe, <em>Natsuki decided as she warmed up with twisting and stretching.

Maybe Tomoe had the home court advantage, but the cruise director didn't know that Natsuki had been the Little Red Tummy champion three years in a row when she was younger. Though back then she had baby fat on her side. Now that she was lean and mean, belly flops would hurt that much more. The dark haired girl glanced at Shizuru, who smiled encouragingly and watched Natsuki do her stretches with a little too much enthusiasm. _The pain will be worth it if I can prevent that creep from getting her claws on Shizuru. _

Shizuru gazed at the younger woman do her last warm up moves and get in the line for the competition. _Why is she doing this? _She wondered. _Does she really want the prize so much or is there an ulterior motive? _Shizuru figured that the biker just wanted to outdo the cruise director in some fashion. After all, Natsuki seemed like quite the competitive girl.

On the other side of the pool, Tomoe was warming up as well. She turned to her second-in-charge, Akira Okuzaki, intent on giving her instructions. That poor girl would probably never make it to being the cruise director since her demeanor was so serious. But to Tomoe's chagrin, the whole 'strong and silent' type seemed to be working wonders for the other woman when it came to romance. "So remember, talk loudly! This is supposed to be an exciting competition!" Tomoe told her subordinate as she handed her a microphone.

Akira nodded grimly and took ahold of the mike with only two fingers, as if she was afraid it would explode. Tomoe gave her a small nod of encouragement and pushed her to the center of the deck. "Ladies. Please line up and get ready for the competition. It will start momentarily." Akira said in total deadpan.

Tomoe resisted the urge to slap her head against something. _Hopefully she gets better or I'll have to figure out another place to put her._

After reassuring herself Akira wouldn't embarrass her too badly, Tomoe quickly went to the front of the line. It was time to show Shizuru how awesome she was by winning this competition! _After dinner at the captain's table, I can take her back to my suite and…_Tomoe's mind went through of dozens of naughty scenarios, each naughtier than the previous. _But that can only happen if I win. That means I have to beat that delusional girl who thinks she's Shizuru's friend. As if! _She mentally scoffed.

The competition officially started when Tomoe stepped onto the small diving board above the pool. She waved to the crowd and leapt off the platform. She landed with an audible _slap _against the water. "Wow. That was far." Akira helpfully told the audience. The spectators clapped appreciatively as Tomoe resurfaced.

Natsuki started to envision her dive as she slowly moved up in the line, the other women either taking their turns at belly flopping or wimping out at the last moment. Soon enough, it was the biker's turn.

Shizuru clapped her hands in excitement. "Go, Natsuki!" She yelled from her seat next to the pool. She vaguely wondered where Mikoto and Mai were since she was sure that they would enjoy the spectacle soon to happen. Shizuru missed the look of frustrated confusion Tomoe sent her way at her declaration.

The biker smirked at Tomoe before taking her own place on the platform. _Focus, _she thought to herself, _this is going to hurt like a bitch…but it will be worth it_. Natsuki bent her knees and sprang off the platform, jumping high above the pool. She arched her back and spread her arms out in a beautiful swan dive. _SLAP! _She hit the water perfectly. _Fuck_, Natsuki grimaced. That hurt worse than she remembered. She took a moment to regain her bearings under the water before breaking the surface to the sounds of applause.

As she made her way out of the pool, Natsuki heard Akira's commentating. "Ouch. That one looked painful."

_Ara, I'm quite enjoying this spectacle more than I should…_Shizuru fanned herself with a napkin as a soaking wet Natsuki slowly stepped out of the pool and slicked extra moisture off her glistening body. _Yes…a great deal too much. _

As if hearing what Shizuru was thinking, Natsuki whipped her head around towards the Kyoto woman's table. Shizuru smiled and waved back. "You're doing great!" She called out.

Natsuki waved back awkwardly and took her place in the new, shortened line. _Hmm, maybe I'm being too paranoid, but I totally felt like Shizuru was checking me out…Why does that bother me more than if anybody else did the same thing? _She wondered before quickly shaking herself out of her reverie. _I'll put that thought away for later. Game face, Natsuki. _

The line of women grew steadily shorter as those who did a belly flop just for the novelty rejoined their friends and become part of the slowly growing audience. One woman was quickly wheeled away when she somehow ended up doing a painful looking face flop. _After that display she'll have a hard time getting laid_, a wicked part of Natsuki snickered.

Soon, as it was destined to be, only Tomoe and Natsuki remained. The ladies on the sidelines held their breath in anticipation at every display of belly flopping prowess they witnessed. They soon found that this would be a battle of endurance; whoever held out longer would be crowned the victor. After each girl's fifteenth flop, the audience started getting impatient and it became apparent that the competitors were beginning to tire. While she waited for her dive, Natsuki was beginning to sway and poked at her stomach absently. Tomoe looked like she was holding back tears every time she emerged from the pool.

Shizuru looked on in concern. Both girls were almost in too much pain to continue but too stubborn to quit. "Hey! What's going on here?" Suddenly, Mai was standing next to her with Mikoto flanking her other side. "And what the hell is Natsuki doing?" A powerful _slap_ echoed through the ship, answering the orange haired girl's question. _Is that idiot really trying to win _another_ competition? The last one nearly killed her! _Mai repressed the memories of rolling a horribly bloated Natsuki home after last year's hot dog eating contest.

"Mai." The word was said with a surprising amount of brevity. Shizuru had become more invested in the competition that she thought she would. Mai looked at her in surprise as she continued to speak, "Natsuki needs you. If she keeps this up, she'll end up knocking herself unconscious. Tell her to quit. I don't care if Tomoe wins as long as Natsuki is okay."

"Umm…alright." Mai knew there was no way in hell Natsuki would quit anything, though she had to admit that it was cute to see the normally composed Shizuru worried about the biker. Still…the only way the Natsuki would get out of this situation would be because her opponent gave up. _I'll need to keep her spirits up_. Mai quickly made her way over to the pool and waited for Natsuki to get out.

"Hey, girl." She greeted her friend before looking at her stomach in alarm. "Why did you do this to yourself?" Natsuki's normally sexy and toned torso was a furious red that had become sensitive to even the slightest gust of air.

"That bitch isn't backing down!" The biker snarled weakly in response, already waiting near the diving board behind the cruise director. Tomoe stared at the water with a quivering lip until Akira lowered the microphone and whispered something to her. Tomoe sniffed and nodded.

"Yay. Go Tomoe." Akira cheered her superior on as best she could. She had no stakes in this dumb event but figured encouraging her boss would get her some brownie points. Plus Tomoe looked awfully pitiful and Akira was feeling oddly bad for her. Nevertheless, Tomoe performed another acceptable flop and the crowd clapped obediently.

Natsuki felt so tired. Really, she didn't even think she could do another stupid belly flop. She glanced towards Shizuru, who seemed to be motioning her to not dive, if putting her arms in the shape of an 'X' meant anything. _Not even Shizuru believes in me…maybe I _should_ quit, _the biker thought sadly.

"Natsuki, wait!" Mai called out before the other girl had decided her final course of action. Mai motioned at a nearby chair and Natsuki looked at her questioningly. "Sit down!" She hissed.

The dark haired girl, normally one to roll her eyes whenever she was given an order, nodded tiredly and slumped into the chair. Her mask of stoicism cracked. "Mai," she whispered painfully. "I'm starting to think there are no winners in a competition like this."

Mai started to give her friend a thorough shoulder massage. "Okay, here's what we're going to do," She said with authority. "Tomoe has no discernible weaknesses that I can see. She's like the Apollo Creed of the pool." Natsuki turned to look at her with confusion. "You know this, Natsuki! He's Rocky's opponent!" Just how much brain damage had Natsuki suffered? Natsuki had once forced her into a Sylvester Stallone marathon that began and ended with the first Rocky film.

"But…didn't Rocky lose?" Natsuki said uncertainly. She was finding it hard to focus. The reason there were no professional belly floppers was because their sport forced them to take too many blows to the head. And while she was considered thick-headed by many, Natsuki's skull was still prone to injury when it was slapped against a body of water over and over again.

"Well…yeah." Mai answered. Then she remembered, "But he won in the sequel! This is _your sequel_, Natsuki! Go do one last belly flop!"

Natsuki was oddly encouraged by this terrible attempt at a pep talk. "Yeah! I'll do it!" She exclaimed. She tried to dig out a rousing quote from Rocky and came up with, '_You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!' _Natsuki nodded in approval and a sudden burst energy seemed to fill her. If she was going to do this, she was going to go big. She jumped on the diving board a few times, gaining a little more altitude each time. Finally, she did it: the nigh-impossible front flip belly flop. Almost one and a half rotations in the air before cracking her stomach against the pool one last time.

Mikoto, who had taken a seat next to Shizuru, turned towards her friend with wide eyes as the people around them burst into applause.. "She's crazy, you know that?"

Shizuru had stood up to clap as well and was grinning broadly. "Yeah. I know." Only Natsuki could pull of a stunt like that and live to tell about it. The Kyoto woman watched as Mai helped the biker out of the pool and raised the dark haired girl's arm high in victory.

Natsuki caught Shizuru's eye and shambled over to her, putting both hands on the older girl's shoulders. "Thanks for caring, but don't tell me to give up." She said with a smile to ease her words before going to high five Mikoto and heading back towards the pool. _That girl…she really is something_.

Tomoe, who was nearly forgotten by now, looked into the pool with something close to fear in her eyes. It was over. Her whole body was in pain and her stomach twitched at the very thought of another jump. The last straw was looking over to see that miscreant's paws all over Shizuru. And Shizuru was _smiling_. Rather than attempt what would have certainly been a shameful display of belly flopping, Tomoe snatched the microphone from her second in command. "Hey! Congratulations, Kuga! You won this one. Take your prize." The director growled the last words as she shoved a shiny plastic card at Natsuki and ushered her away. Everyone nearby cheered, more because the pool was finally open for general use again than at Natsuki's epic victory.

Mai brought her friend her clothing and towel. The entire front side of Natsuki's body looked like it had gotten a severe burn and Mai patted at it gently with the towel. "Good job!"

"Thanks, Mickey." Natsuki said, feeling a little woozy. Her adrenaline had finally abandoned her and now she was dealing with the reality of completing sixteen belly flops. "I don't feel so good."

Shizuru soon came over as well, still looking slightly worried. "Are you alright? I think we should take her back to your room." The latter was directed at Mai, who nodded in agreement.

The two made their way to the cabin, Natsuki held up in between them. The dark haired girl's head lolled onto Shizuru's shoulder but she made no effort to move. _That competition must have really taken a lot out of her. _Shizuru thought, mildly amused.

Mai struggled to open the door before throwing it open and placing Natsuki onto the bed carefully. "Should we call the nurse?" She asked the other woman. Being Natsuki's best friend, she had been there the last time Natsuki had gotten a concussion (due to a ridiculous motorcycle stunt). The symptoms seemed similar, what with the dizziness and not being able to walk on her own.

Shizuru nodded. She had taken a seat next to the bed and was holding one of Natsuki's hands. "If you'd like to get her, I can stay here with her."

The orange haired girl repressed a smile. "Sure, I'll do that." While she would never tell Natsuki this on pain of death, she was starting to hope Shizuru would sweep the biker off her feet.

Natsuki's eyes opened slightly at the sound of the door closing. Moving her head to the side, she saw a blurry outline that looked suspiciously like Shizuru. "Adrian, is that you?" In her half-consciousness, she was still straddling the line between the world of Rocky and reality.

Shizuru straightened up. "Who's that?"

"That's…She's like…the girl who was always worried about Rocky but still believed in him." _And the love interest_. But Shizuru would probably take to that comparison with more enthusiasm than Natsuki intended.

"While I am worried about you right now, I'm Shizuru." The Kyoto woman replied, gently massaging the hand in hers. _Natsuki has nice hands_, she thought idly. The fingers were long and tapered and her skin was ridiculously soft even after being in chlorinated water for so long.

Natsuki chuckled slightly. "Heh. I know that. I'm not an idiot." She shivered slightly as the air condition kicked on and realized she was only wearing her bikini with a towel thrown hastily over the lower half of her body. "But I am half naked." She remarked blandly.

Shizuru grinned coyly and opened her mouth. The hand she had been holding onto was suddenly at her face, a finger touching her lips. "Ssh, no reason to waste your energy." Natsuki mumbled. "I already know you're about to say something perverted."

"Ara, Natsuki knows me too well already." Shizuru said.

She was interrupted from saying anything more when Mai came back into the room, a blonde haired woman in tow. Natsuki allowed her eyes to close before the door had even closed.

Her last thought before going to sleep was a short but sweet one. _Suck it, Tomoe. _

* * *

><p>There it is! Please review if you'd like (even if it's just to reprimand me about updating after so damn long). I'll dedicate this chapter to the strangely appropriate Ahead of the Wave by The Non-Commissioned Officers.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Hey again! I have no idea how this chapter got so large but I hope you all like it. Happy soon-to-be 2014!

* * *

><p>Natsuki woke to the pitch black interior of her cabin. "Mai?" She croaked. "You there?"<p>

There was a rustling from the other side of the room. "Natsuki! You're up!" The light was flicked on and Natsuki was up close and personal with a concerned-looking Mai. "How're you feeling?"

The biker sat up and poked her head, not feeling any pain. She must be made of steel since she had had uglier injuries and always came out no worse for wear. "Fine. How long was I out?"

"The rest of the day. It's almost eight and Shizuru said she still wants you to attend dinner at the captain's table with her if you're alright."

Natsuki hid a scowl at the news. _Shizuru knew I didn't want to go to that dinner in the first place. Is it not enough that I suffered a possibly life-threatening head injury? _"Do I _have_ to go?" She asked somewhat petulantly.

The orange haired girl pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're not a child. Just suck it up and eat dinner with them."

"What about you and Mikoto?" Natsuki asked before giving her friend a knowing grin. "Or is there something _else_ on the menu for the two of— AAAHH!" Since Natsuki's head was still vulnerable, Mai had aimed her slap at the girl's shoulder.

Ignoring the blush coming across her face, Mai replied, "Yes. We actually do have other plans for dinner."

Never one to know when to shut up, Natsuki choked out, "What's for dessert? Is it something edible or—OWW." Mai hit her other shoulder and she curled up defensively, looking extremely pathetic.

"Shut up before you get yourself another concussion." Mai glared. "I don't really know what's going on between me and Mikoto yet but I don't want you joking about it."

Natsuki sat back up, most of her playful demeanor gone. "You should know by now that if I joke about something, I don't usually mean it. Mikoto seems cool." Before things had the chance to get mushy or emotional, Natsuki heaved herself out of bed. "Now I have a dinner to get ready for and so do you."

Mai gave her friend a sweet smile. "Tell me all about it when you come back."

_If anything_, Natsuki thought as she selected her dress, _the company should prove to be interesting._

* * *

><p>Well, she was more right than she thought possible. The captain was a ridiculously happy fellow with dark hair and eyes. He introduced himself as "Reito Kanzaki, darling." and good-naturedly heckled the wait staff. He sat diagonally across from Natsuki.<p>

Shizuru came in shortly after Natsuki, sashaying past her in a form-fitting black dress. She sat down on Natsuki's left side. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked, echoing Mai's earlier concern.

"Yep." Natsuki answered distractedly. For some reason, her eyes kept trying to travel downwards towards Shizuru's chest. _Did I want to stare at her this much before my head got messed up? _Natsuki jerked her head so she was looking at the empty plate in front of her and avoiding Shizuru's gaze (and bust) completely. "Totally healed up." _Maybe it's just the fact that her dress has the best push-up bra known to mankind. _

"Oh," Shizuru tried to get a good look at the other girl's face to see if she was telling the truth, but Natsuki was staring hard at the table as if it held the answers of the universe, her hands balled up in her lap. "If you say so."

By the time Tomoe finally came, the only spot left was across from Natsuki. Natsuki looked up at her arrival and was pleased to see that the teal-haired girl still looked sullen. _What a sore loser_, Natsuki thought, _though I suppose I would be too…if I ever lost, that is_. She didn't bother hiding her smug grin and Tomoe glowered at her in return.

Once a few more people took their seats, the captain turned his attention to Natsuki. As if reading her thoughts, he said, "So I heard you won the competition earlier, congratulations. What do you plan on doing with your winnings?"

"It's funny that you ask that, Captain." Natsuki started, her gaze flickering to Tomoe before going back to Reito. "I promised Marguerite that I'd buy as much alcohol and chocolate as I could. I wouldn't want to let her down."

Tomoe's lips twitched into a snarl but she bit back a retort. _If Kanzaki wasn't here I'd rip that smile off her. _She looked towards Shizuru, hoping to find a soft, understanding expression on her face. Instead, her red-eyed beauty had her napkin over her mouth, her shoulders shaking slightly. "Shizuru, are you sick?" Tomoe asked, full of worry.

To Tomoe's ignorance, Shizuru was actually covering a laugh. The cruise director brought out a childish but very entertaining side of Natsuki and Shizuru was doing her best to appear unmoved. It wouldn't do any good to actively _encourage _Natsuki's behavior but it sure was fun to watch. "No, I'm fine." She replied to Tomoe, giving her a grateful smile. "Thank you for your concern." Out of the corner of her eye, Shizuru saw the biker's lips turn downwards. _Interesting reaction. Is that jealously, Natsuki?_ So far the signs Natsuki was sending her were mixed at best but moments like this gave Shizuru hope.

Reito went back to the original strand of conversation, breaking though Shizuru's thoughts. "Alcohol and chocolate! Such a potent combination. I remember one time, it was so silly, I was on leave in Rio during Carnival…" He launched into a story that involved a stolen parade float, five pounds of feathers, and two Brazilian men on rollerskates. By the end of the tale, Natsuki was bright red and even the composed Shizuru looked stunned. "But enough about me," Reito said primly. "What is there to know about you lovely ladies? Are you enjoying your cruise so far?"

"Yes," Shizuru said, giving Natsuki a moment to recollect herself after Reito's raunchy story. "I'm enjoying myself quite a bit. The ship is everything I hoped it would be." She gave him a charming smile to cap off her praise.

Natsuki nodded in agreement. "Yep. It's uh, not bad." She added, cringing inwardly. She was never very good with compliments but it looked like Shizuru had the market cornered on flattery, so whatever Natsuki said would seem superfluous anyways.

"That's it? 'Not bad?" Tomoe scoffed from across the table. "How lame."

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. The director actually looked _offended_. " What? That's a compliment." Natsuki said defensively. _What more does she want from me? It's not like this cruise is geared towards my demographic. _

Tomoe sniffed. "I suppose so. It's just not a very good one. Shizuru's on the other hand…" The teal haired girl looked towards the university student with adoring eyes. "hers was truly insightful. I'm happy you think so highly of us."

_Of course_. Natsuki rolled her eyes. _She was just trying to tear me down and praise Shizuru in the same breath. _A waiter came by to take Reito's order and while he was occupied, Natsuki took the opportunity to hiss "Keep it in your pants, Marguerite," to the other girl. Tomoe's mouth dropped open in indignation but the waiter was onto her next, saving Natsuki from hearing another mediocre retort.

Shizuru put a calming hand on Natsuki's shoulder, causing the other girl to jump slightly. "There's no need defend me, though if Natsuki wishes to be my knight in shining armor, I suppose I cannot stop her."

"W-what?" Natsuki sputtered. "I'm not trying to _defend your honor_ or anything. I just want to piss her off."

"In that case, it's working marvelously. However, I suggest you watch your words," Shizuru got a playful glint in her eyes. "otherwise the lovely director may throw you in the brig."

Shizuru's hand was still on her shoulder but Natsuki had already forgotten about it. She gave a snort. "Then I guess you'll have to seduce her to think otherwise. You have to know she's totally into you, right?"

"Why, Natsuki. Do you take me for a blind woman? I am well aware of when someone is attracted to someone else." She pointed to a woman two tables away. "For example, she keeps looking at me when she doesn't think I notice." Shizuru motioned towards another woman with blond hair. "And that one keeps missing her mouth when using her spoon because she can't stop staring at you."

"Me?!" Natsuki shook her head violently. "I refuse to believe that." Just then, Natsuki glanced at the woman and in response the blond promptly spilled a spoonful of soup on her dress. _Why must I be so attractive?_ Natsuki thought in mild despair.

Shizuru continued on. "Besides, I would rather Tomoe throw us in the brig together. It would make for very good bonding time." _Especially if handcuffs were involved._ Shizuru's eyes took on a dreamy hue for a moment.

Natsuki tried to retort but ended up picturing something extraordinarily similar to Shizuru. She turned red at the direction of her thoughts and she decided to stay silent until the waiter came to her.

Once everyone's order was placed, there was a slight lull in conversation that Shizuru quickly filled up. She talked to the captain and the other guests about nothing of importance but the way she phrased her questions and shifted her body towards the person speaking made everyone feel important.

_She's really good at this_. Natsuki thought, impressed. The biker herself was no fan of interacting with others though with Mai's guidance she had managed not to look too awkward. But Shizuru…she was on another level. _No wonder everyone she meets likes her._ Without her knowledge or consent, a gentle smile came across Natsuki's face as she continued to watch Shizuru socialize.

The food came and finally broke Natsuki out of her silent admiration. Her eyes widened when she realized she had been looking at the red-eyed girl for nearly fifteen minutes. _Thank god Shizuru was too busy to notice._ The biker dug into her food to keep her senses occupied.

Across the table, the cruise director was feeling left out. Shizuru was chatting up everyone but her. She gave a small pout before an idea struck. _This will get her attention._

Tomoe bit her lip before slowly reaching her foot across the table until it found its target: Shizuru's leg. She slowly ran her foot up and down the slender limb, relishing how smooth it was.

Natsuki stopped listening to the conversation and stiffened, eyes wide. Something was rubbing against her leg! Something that felt suspiciously like a foot! The raven haired girl looked at Shizuru accusingly but she was still talking to the captain and didn't seem to notice anything odd going on. Natsuki continued her search of suspects until her eyes landed on Tomoe. The cruise director had her gaze fixated on Shizuru and a lecherous grin was spreading across her face. _Wait…does she think she's rubbing _Shizuru's _leg?_ Natsuki thought incredulously. _This isn't even supposed to be directed towards me and yet I feel so dirty…Tomoe is such a creep. _

"Natsuki, is everything okay?" Shizuru asked, finally noticing the girl's distress. Natsuki was staring at her plate with her jaw clenched and fists curled tightly in her lap. _This poor girl doesn't seem to have much luck in the dining room._ Shizuru put a hand on Natsuki knee and rubbed it soothingly.

"Umm…y-yeah. I'm fine." Natsuki stuttered, trying to subtly move her leg away from Tomoe's. But the gray eyed woman made sure her foot followed the limb and gave Shizuru a deceptively coy smile that Shizuru didn't seem to notice. _You idiot! You can't even seduce the right leg! _Natsuki thought angrily at Tomoe.

But now Shizuru was looking at her with concern and her comforting touch was at odds with Tomoe's own perverted endeavor.

Natsuki couldn't take it anymore. The hand, the foot…it was all too much! She rammed her high-heeled foot into Tomoe's leg before abruptly standing up. Tomoe yelped and the other tablemates looked at her in curiosity. Natsuki leaned her hands on the table, her face full of concern. "Are you okay, Marguerite?" She asked with as much empathy as she could muster while mentally laughing her ass off.

The director looked confusedly towards Shizuru, at a loss for words. "Tomoe, are you okay?" Shizuru prodded. First Natsuki was ill the night before and now Tomoe looked a bit pale. Perhaps the food _was_ a bit questionable on this ship.

"Uhh, yeah." She quickly recomposed herself, though she could still feel her heart and shin ache in equal measure. _Surely Shizuru didn't mean to kick me…_"Sorry, I just forgot to take the shell off of this piece of lobster. It almost got stuck in my throat." She laughed awkwardly before going quiet and trying not to sob into her food.

Natsuki was still standing up and tapped Shizuru on the shoulder. "Do you want to go err…powder our noses together or something?"

Shizuru gave her a strange look. "Sure, Natsuki. Let's go." _Is Natsuki trying to get me alone? _She smiled at the biker, trying to contain her curiosity.

As soon as Shizuru stood up, Natsuki grabbed her wrist and tugged her towards the nearest bathroom. _Oh, my. She really _is _trying to get me alone. What are you planning on doing with me, Natsuki?_

Natsuki barged into the marble-covered bathroom and quickly looked under all the stalls to make sure they were alone.

She turned back to Shizuru and raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" Her eyes widened. "O-Oi! I wasn't trying to get with you, keep your clothes on!"

Shizuru pushed her dress' strap back up, looking unperturbed. "It slipped."

Natsuki gave her a suspicious glare but went back to her main point. "Marguerite was feeling me up under the table. She thought I was you."

"Really? Maybe she likes both of us." Shizuru said innocently.

Natsuki repressed the urge to shudder. "Oh god, I hope not." She took a breath and leaned against the bathroom counter. "Look... I think I'm just going to cut out. Everyone, Marguerite excluded of course, seems nice enough but I'm not a people person."

"Aah. I see." Shizuru said, looking a bit deflated. "I suppose I'll see you sometime tomorrow then." She nodded towards Natsuki before putting her hand on the door.

"Wait!" Natsuki said quickly. Her hand reached for Shizuru's wrist. "I wanted to grab some dessert on the upper deck. You can, umm…come join me if you'd like." She winced internally. _That almost sounded like I was asking her on a date._

Shizuru looked down at her wrist, where Natsuki was still holding on. "That would be lovely." She shifted her arm until the two of them were holding hands. "It's a date!"

"Aargh!" Natsuki tried to shake out of Shizuru's grasp with no success. "Give you an inch, you take a mile…" She grumbled, waving her captured limb around. A sudden idea hit her and she used her free hand to poke Shizuru in her side.

Shizuru squirmed in surprise and her grip slackened enough for Natsuki to reclaim her hand. She flexed her fingers before pointing it at Shizuru. "No holding hands." She said with a wicked glint in her eyes. "Because now I know you're ticklish." She held open the bathroom door for Shizuru to follow her out.

"Ikezu…" Shizuru murmured as she fought against a grin. _At least Natsuki and I will be having dessert together. That's pretty romantic, no matter what she says._

The two made their way to the lobby and got onto an elevator. The whole way up to the lido deck, Shizuru was grabbing for Natsuki's hand and Natsuki was attempting to tickle her. By the time the elevator opened again, both girls were out of breath and slightly flushed (much to the scandalized giggles of those waiting to use the lift).

The indoor buffet was much larger than the outdoor eating space, much to Natsuki's approval. Since it was past nine, the place was rather empty but those still present admired the two beautiful ladies who just arrived in their evening dresses.

"Alright," Natsuki said, all business. She looked around for the dessert platters. "I'm thinking frozen yogurt. Like, a lot of it. With sprinkles. What about you?"

"Probably just some tea and a slice of tiramisu if they have it." Shizuru replied. She almost bumped into Natsuki when the dark haired girl stopped abruptly.

"Whoa." Natsuki breathed. In front of her was the cornucopia of sweets; cakes, brownies, cookies, pies, and yes, _frozen yogurt_ were all present. She made a beeline for the waffle cones and filled two up with her cold, delicious cream.

Shizuru looked on in amusement before picking her way through the choices. Hidden behind a plate of fudge, she found what she was looking for: the last slice of tiramisu.

She met back up with Natsuki and tilted her head towards the aft. "Shall we go outside?"

Natsuki looked up at her with cheeks puffed out from waffle cone. "Sure." She managed around her mouthful of food. "Let me just get a to-go bowl."

The weather outside was still warm and there was the ever-present breeze felt when on a moving vessel. The two worked their way towards the back of the ship until they couldn't go any further.

Natsuki set down her bowl to put her hands on the railing and lean out towards the surf with a smile on her face. Below her, the ship's engines churned out water, leaving behind a foamy white path in the sea. Natsuki's hair flew behind her, a wave of dark fire.

_She truly is beautiful_. Shizuru thought as she watched as the other girl sighed and closed her eyes. After a moment, Natsuki turned towards her. "This is pretty great, right?" She asked happily.

"It is." Shizuru answered softly. She cleared her throat, afraid of sounding more emotional than she wanted. She switched to a safe topic. "Are you and Mai planning on doing anything in Seoul tomorrow?"

"Seoul?" The other girl muttered in confusion. Her eyes widened. "I totally forgot we were going to be in Korea tomorrow. I don't know what we're doing. Mai might have something planned but she may also want to spend time with Mikoto so…" She trailed off.

Shizuru nodded. She had no problem with Mai monopolizing Mikoto's time; the two seemed smitten with one another. Besides, if it meant she could spend more time with Natsuki, well, she wasn't going to complain. "Whatever you do, you'll love Seoul. The food is great, people are nice, and the weather is perfect this time of year. The same goes for most of the other ports as well."

"You seem pretty familiar with the places we're going." Natsuki remarked. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shizuru join her at the railing.

Shizuru shrugged and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "My parents love to travel. Whenever I had a break from school, they'd take me with them."

"I've…never been out of Japan." Natsuki confessed. She didn't know what was compelling her to talk (maybe some kind of post-dessert euphoria?) but she continued on. "I'm what you might call a 'creature of habit'. I'm uncomfortable with anything too new and traveling falls under that category. If Mai hadn't asked me to come with her on this trip, I'd still be at home doing the same things I've always done."

Shizuru listened attentively and she raised a slender eyebrow when Natsuki finished speaking. "That's interesting. I would have pegged you as someone who did whatever she wanted and challenged whoever stood in her way. Natsuki would have made a good pirate." She smiled at the image of the biker in a tight corset, leggings, boots, and of course a tricorn hat. _Not to get too ahead of myself, but I'll save that image for future roleplay between us._

"Well, yeah." Natsuki admitted, ignoring the pirate jab (though secretly she knew she'd be the most badass pirate ever). A smug grin came to her face. "What can I say? I like pissing people off and I really don't back down from challenges." She turned her back to the ocean and gestured to the ship at large. "But this is different. Travelling is just a totally new experience for me. I'm kind of clueless about what to do."

"I think Natsuki's doing a good job." Shizuru answered honestly. "Just today, you won a competition and, for a short while at least, ate with the captain. You'll do plenty of memorable thing while you're here." _Hopefully some of those things will be with me._ This conversation was one she couldn't have imagined having with Natsuki when she first met her. The girl had been grouchy, suspicious, and snarky. While the last was certainly still true, Natsuki had warmed up to her and, Shizuru hoped, was beginning to see her as a friend.

Natsuki had noticed a shift in the air. She glanced at Shizuru and found her to be staring back, unabashed. Natsuki's reply died in her throat as she continued to stare at Shizuru. After a short moment, Natsuki leaned towards her almost imperceptibly…

…blinked and leaned back again. Clearing her throat, she said, "We should probably head back inside. We'll probably be in port early." Though she spoke in a relaxed manner, her heart was hammering. _What the hell was that?! Did I almost have a _moment_ with Shizuru? Pssh, that's impossible…right?_ Natsuki forced a small smile on her face to compensate for how freaked out she was feeling on the inside.

Shizuru, who didn't seem to notice anything odd, returned the smile. "You're right." She extended her hand to Natsuki. "Shall we?"

Natsuki raised an eyebrow at the gesture and gently slapped it away, trying to return to her normal self. "Good try, Fujino. But you'll have to try harder than that in order to hold my beautiful hand."

_Oh, I intend to_, Shizuru thought slyly as they headed back inside. A companionable silence fell between them until they reached the elevator. "See you soon, Na-tsu-ki." Shizuru said as a farewell, slipping in a wink.

Natsuki gave another weak smile in response and opted to take the stairs down to her cabin. _Shit, shit, shit_, she repeated in her head even as she opened her door. "MAAAI!" She yelled once inside.

A thud resounded from inside the bathroom followed by a muttered curse. Mai cracked the bathroom door open. "What? I'm trying to dry off in peace." She said in irritation.

Natsuki paused for a moment. Was it _really_ necessary to tell Mai about her brief lapse in straightness? She would probably just give the same, 'it's the boat, not you' speech as last time. _Breathe, Natsuki_. She told herself. _Nothing actually happened._ "Umm…how did things go with Mikoto?" She asked lamely.

Mai gave her a skeptical look. "Things were fine. Actually," A smug grin came across her face. "We almost kissed. If it wasn't for that damn waiter dropping a bunch of loud things and ruining the moment, we would probably be making out right now."

"Gross." Natsuki said blandly. She absorbed Mai's slap and continued on, "What are we doing tomorrow? Did you have something planned for us or were you wanting to hang with Mikoto more?"

"I just talked about this with her..." Mai gave Natsuki a 'turn around' gesture with her finger and started to put on her pajamas. "She apparently holds some kind of international boating license and she and Shizuru were going to go fishing in the morning. She invited us along since you can take up to four people for no extra cost. What do you say?"

Natsuki mulled it over. She had never gone fishing before but she supposed it could be fun. Plus it would be in the morning so they'd still have the rest of the day to see the city. And Shizuru would be there—Natsuki scowled. That shouldn't be an incentive (but it was, damn it). "…Sure." She finally said. "And once I'm done showering, I'll turn off the lights."

She took out her sleepwear and headed into the bathroom to mull her issues out under some hot water. _Don't worry about tomorrow,_ She instructed herself under the steamy spray. _You're already trapped on a boat with Shizuru. Tomorrow will just be…a slightly smaller boat. Nothing to worry about, right?_

* * *

><p>"Urrgh…" Natsuki swayed with the motion of the fishing boat, her face taking on a slightly green tinge. "How did I forget that I was seasick?" She mumbled.<p>

"At least I didn't forget." Mai said at her side. She took a packet out of her bag. "Here, put one of these on. They're supposed to help with seasickness."

Natsuki took the packet and pulled out a few thin, gray bands. Trying not to think of how stupid this was, she slapped one on her wrist, paused, and put one around her opposite ankle for good measure. _Do these things even work on ankles?_ "Thanks. You can go hang with Mikoto if you want." She couldn't help that the words sounded a bit cranky.

Mai bit her lip worriedly. "I'm really sorry, Natsuki. I thought the sickness was only because that was your first time on a small boat. I shouldn't have agreed to this…" _I have to be one of the worst friends ever._

"It's alright." Natsuki replied through clenched teeth. "If you hang out over here to be miserable with me then this morning will be wasted. Seriously, go help Mikoto fish." Besides, either due to a placebo effect or the bands actually starting to work so quickly, Natsuki already felt marginally better.

The orange haired girl nodded hesitantly and stood up. _The least I can do is send Shizuru over to cheer her up_. The front and back of the boat were separated by a small alcove that had steps leading down to lifejackets and other supplies. Natsuki had taken over the front of the boat while Mikoto and Shizuru had set up the fishing rods at the back.

Shizuru was busy inspecting the bait box when Mai tapped her on the shoulder. "I gave Natsuki some seabands so hopefully she'll be one hundred percent soon. Until then, I don't think she'd mind some company." Mai not-so-subtly hinted. She had seen that Natsuki complained less and less each time the subject of hanging out with Shizuru came up. And Shizuru…well, Mai wasn't trying to get the woman's hopes up but she could tell how much Shizuru enjoyed Natsuki's company.

"That sounds great. I'll go see how she's doing." She went towards the front of the boat, leaving Mai and Mikoto alone.

Mai watched as Mikoto fixed a tangle in some of the fishing line. Her fingers moved deftly in and around the line until the tangle disappeared. "How long have you been fishing?" Mai asked, taking a seat next to the younger girl.

"Most of my life." Mikoto answered. She paused to give Mai a sunny smile before continuing her work. "My family lives by the ocean and about once a month my dad and brother would come back with a huge haul of fish. It would last us weeks at a time. Thinking back on it, it's a wonder none of us ever got sick of fish. But I find fishing to be relaxing. Nothing but the sea, the breeze, and in this case," She glanced up at Mai again, "a pretty girl by my side. I can't think of a better way to spend my time."

"Always the charmer." Mai said with a roll of her eyes, though inside she felt her heart thrum happily. "Now, will you be my teacher? I've never fished before."

Mikoto hopped up enthusiastically. "Absolutely! Let's start from the very beginning…"

At the front of the boat, Natsuki was poking at her stomach experimentally. Nope. She still felt like shit. "I hate my life." She groaned dramatically.

"Ara, is that really true?" Shizuru asked as she sat down next to Natsuki. "After all, I'm here." Natsuki didn't look much better but her eyes, instead of being shut tight due to nausea, were clear and wide open.

Shizuru's comments invited sarcasm and Natsuki happily obliged. "You're right. A ray of sunshine has hit me and now I realize that you bring meaning to my life. Nay, you _are_ my life." She snorted at her own joke and winced at the sensation it brought to her stomach.

"How mean!" Shizuru pouted. "I was just trying to cheer Natsuki up. I suppose if you don't want me here, I can go back to the others." She pretended to move away.

"Wait!" Natsuki said quickly. "I'm…sorry. I shouldn't be taking my irritation out on you." She waved her banded hand emphatically. "These things are supposed to work soon so you can wait here…if you want." _God, this is lame._ Natsuki thought. _I must look so pathetic._

Shizuru sat back down until the two of them were nearly touching, definitely not thinking Natsuki was pathetic but rather…cute_._ Natsuki let out a whimper when a large wave slapped against the side of the boat. _She's like a little puppy._

Hesitantly, Shizuru reached her arm out so it was wrapped around Natsuki's shoulder. She brought the dark haired girl close to her until Natsuki's head was resting below her chin.

Natsuki stiffened at the action but didn't pull away. "Umm…what are you doing?" _This is strangely comforting. Why the hell does she have to be so soft?_

Shizuru felt a slight heat against her collarbone and realized Natsuki was blushing. "I just wanted to get you into a better position. Is this alright with you?" Honestly, she couldn't believe Natsuki was staying still. Maybe it was just the sickness but Shizuru hoped it was because Natsuki liked her touch.

"Sure…but only until I feel better!" Natsuki said, trying to muster some energy into her voice. _You know…_the perverted side of Natsuki started,_ if you look down, you'll have the perfect view of Shizuru's—_

_Go die in a fire._ Natsuki's normal side replied irritably. _I'm not going to check her out—_Natsuki shifted slightly and glanced downwards before immediately shutting her eyes._ Oh, goddammit. I hate you. Just let me just relax for a bit. _

For the next fifteen minutes she breathed softly against Shizuru and felt the rocking of the boat less and less until finally her nausea diminished. She leaned away from Shizuru almost reluctantly. "I'm feeling better now. I guess these bands really work."

Shizuru already missed the contact between them but smiled in relief nonetheless. "That's excellent news. Let's go check in on the lovebirds."

Natsuki followed Shizuru to the back of the boat and was greeted by the sight of Mikoto wrestling against her fishing rod, Mai cheering her on.

Shizuru joined Mai in cheering while Natsuki watched from a safe distance. The fishing rod was bent severely and the line was quickly unraveling even as Mikoto tried to fight against the mysterious sea creature. "I think it's a swordfish!" She said excitedly. Redoubling her efforts, she tightened her grip on the reel's handle and started to bring in the fishing line.

After five more minutes, Mikoto let out an almighty roar and wrenched the rod above her head. A giant fish plopped onto the deck, squirming frantically. The fish must have been at least five feet long and three feet in girth.

Thought Natsuki would later vehemently deny it, she screamed like a little girl at the sight and hid behind Shizuru. "That's not a fucking swordfish! It's monster!" She shouted accusatorily, a finger pointed at the hideous creature. She lifted a foot to avoid being sideswiped by its tail.

Mikoto squatted down next to the fish and patted its head. "It looks like a catfish." She panted. "You wanna help me put him back?" She asked Mai.

Mai, who was openly laughing at Natsuki, nodded eagerly. Mikoto reached into the fish's mouth and pulled a hook out. "You get the back," She instructed Mai. The two lifted it up and heaved it over the side.

"That was awesome!" Mai grinned and accepted a high-five from Mikoto. "Let's do it again!"

Shizuru turned around to find a nervous looking Natsuki. "Are you afraid of fish?" She questioned. Natsuki's display had been quite entertaining (not that Shizuru would say anything of the sort to her).

"No!" Natsuki said defensively. "I just thought we'd be getting _smaller_ fish. That was a giant!" It was true that Natsuki didn't fear any animal (except for geese which was_ totally rational_). "It was unexpected, that's all."

"Sure, sure." Shizuru said in easy agreement.

The two sat down behind Mai and Mikoto and watched them fish, Shizuru occasionally taking Mai's spot. Natsuki refused to touch the rods and settled on watching the others. It was really entertaining to see the normally composed Shizuru struggle to pull in a fish. There was no way to do it gracefully, even for her.

Almost two hours passed before Mikoto took a break and grabbed some drinks from the alcove. She passed them out to everyone and looped an arm around Mai's waist. Mai blushed and looked back at Natsuki, who gave her a discrete thumbs up.

Mikoto soon went back to fishing and it wasn't long before she let out a muttered curse.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked, coming to her side.

"The fishing line." Mikoto frowned and tugged on her rod. "It's caught on something, maybe some coral."

"Can't you just cut it?" Shizuru had already retrieved a foldable knife from their fishing supplies.

Mikoto pinched the bridge of her nose. "Not really. We weren't given a lot of line in the first place and a few of the fish took the rest." She sighed in disappointment. "I really wanted to catch just one more."

"I can get it." Natsuki's voice rang out. The others looked at her questioningly. "I can go in and cut the line so you have enough left." There was absolutely no chance she was volunteering to do this in order to look good after that embarrassing fish incident earlier. That would be ridiculous.

"That's a stupid idea." Mai said all mother-hen like. "Don't do it."

Natsuki turned to Mikoto for support. "If I just follow the line down, I can cut it at the source and you'll have enough for one more fish."

Mikoto stewed it over in her head before nodding. "I've done it before. It shouldn't be any more than eight feet down."

"Be careful, Natsuki," was all Shizuru said. She may not have known the girl long but she already recognized the stubborn glint in her eyes. There would be no talking her down.

"I don't like it." Mai said even though she was even more familiar with Natsuki's stubbornness. Ignoring her, Natsuki searched around the boat until she found another knife. She took her shirt off to reveal a dark bikini top and peeled the seaband off her wrist. Mai continued, "This isn't safe."

"Relax, Mai." Natsuki laughed before she dove into the water. "It's not like anything is going to happen."

On that day Natsuki Kuga tempted fate. In response, fate gave her the middle finger.

The water, which was a sort of navy color from above, was surprisingly clear underneath. She reached out and secured the fishing line in her hand. Natsuki swam down, periodically tugging the line.

Eventually, she found the problem. Mikoto had been right; the hook had gotten snagged in between two chunks of coral. Natsuki wasted a few seconds trying to get the hook out before giving up and slicing the line about a foot above it.

Her work done, she admired the beauty around her. Groups of small, colorful fish swam by and the coral itself was teeming with life. _Too bad humans can't breathe underwater_, she thought glumly. She kicked off the coral and almost breathed in water when she was jerked back. The force of the tug loosened the grip on her knife and she watched it float downwards.

_What the fuck? _Natsuki tried to go up again and found herself rooted to the coral. Her eyes widened when she realized that the problem was the anti-seasick band she had so stupidly put on her ankle. The end of the fishing line that had gotten cut had somehow wrapped itself around the band (Fate gave itself a high-five).

In a normal situation, Natsuki would have just ripped the band off. However she was rapidly running out of air and was beginning to enter the 'panic' stage of drowning. She tugged fruitlessly at the fishing line even as the urge to breathe became greater and greater.

Her last rational thought before finally inhaling water was, _And the 'Most Ironic Death' award goes to…_

* * *

><p>Up above, Mikoto reeled in her line and was glad to see that it came all the way up.<p>

A minute passed. "She better not be playing some kind of joke on us." Mai muttered. "This is just like her. She'll probably come up on the other side of the boat to freak us out." She started pacing nonetheless.

A sense of unease settled in Shizuru. Somehow, she didn't think Natsuki was trying to prank them. Another thirty seconds passed and Shizuru jumped up. Still clutching the foldable blade from earlier, she turned to the other girls.

"I'm going in to see if she's alright." She said before diving into the water. _She shouldn't be too far down…_A few powerful strokes brought a floating figure into view. Shizuru's heart crashed in her chest. Natsuki's head lolled lifelessly and her eyes were closed. Shizuru tried to pull her up only find that she wasn't moving.

A quick look told Shizuru that the other girl was tethered to the coral by the leftover line. Shizuru quickly sliced it and hooked one of her hands around Natsuki's chest. The two broke the surface and Shizuru dragged her onto the boat.

She turned Natsuki's face to the side and put her face near her chest. "She's not breathing." She informed the others girls before crashing her lips against Natsuki's, fingers holding the biker's nose shut. After a few breaths, she listened for breath and not hearing anything, started to pump on her chest. "Come on, Natsuki." She said between pumps.

Her lips met Natsuki's again to start the process over. Behind them, Mai was looking on with tears in her eyes and Mikoto's hand was over her mouth.

The third time Shizuru push against Natsuki's chest, she felt a spasm run under her fingers. Natsuki's back arched and water spewed from her mouth followed by gasps. Shizuru quickly rolled her onto her side and the rest of the water soon came out.

Natsuki coughed before moved onto her back again and opened her eyes. Shizuru was looking down at her, worry clear in her eyes. The sun was behind her, illuminating Shizuru's hair and making it look like she was wearing a halo of light.

Shizuru took Natsuki into her arms. "You stupid girl. You stupid…" She said as she cradled Natsuki's head to her shoulder.

"Can you save the insults for later?" Natsuki whispered against Shizuru's neck.

"You fucking idiot!" Well, Mai certainly didn't hear Natsuki's request. "I told you but you just didn't listen! Is she okay?" The last part was directed to Shizuru.

Shizuru pushed Natsuki back and looked at her lips and into her eyes. "She'll be fine." She determined after a moment. "She wasn't under long enough to cause any damage."

Mikoto stepped forward. "I am so _sorry_." She said contritely. "I shouldn't have agreed with—"

"It's okay." Natsuki interrupted. "It was no one's fault but my own." She glanced down at her ankle to see the band still in place. "If I wasn't wearing _that_, I would've been fine."

Mikoto nodded and gave a small sniff. "I'm going to take us back to shore. I think we've done enough fishing for today."

Mai and Shizuru stayed with Natsuki until they reached shore. Once Mikoto returned the boat, Natsuki convinced the others that she was fine to wander around the city for the rest of the day. Whether it had been due to adrenaline or something else, Natsuki felt totally fine. _I'll have to remember to donate my body to science once I die. My healing rate is godlike. _

"How did you know CPR?" Natsuki asked Shizuru once they were alone. The four were walking along the beach on their way into the city in two groups. Mai and Mikoto were walking some distance behind them, taking their time to talk and pick up the occasional shell.

"I used to be a lifeguard during the summers." Shizuru said, her eyes on Natsuki. "I've had to use it before and it's become somewhat second nature to me now." Though nothing had ever scared her so much as to see an unconscious, not-breathing Natsuki.

"Well…" Natsuki started. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I take back all that stuff I said earlier about not wanting the 'kiss of life' from you. Thank you, Shizuru." The words were said with all the sincerity Natsuki could muster. "It was ahh…cool of you to save my life." A blush came unbidden to her cheeks.

"Just make sure it doesn't become a habit." Shizuru replied, a small smile playing around her lips. She looked over Natsuki again before glancing towards the surf. The two of them were close enough to the ocean that when a wave crashed, the warm water washed over their feet. _I couldn't ask for a more perfect moment._

Natsuki snorted. "It's a bit too late for that. I think I've had one or two near-death experiences a year since I was eight. This was just the latest one. It's part of the package, as Mai could tell you." She looked behind her for a moment to see how her friend was doing. It looked like Mikoto had found some sort of crab and was chasing Mai around with it, both looking like they were having the time of their lives.

Natsuki stopped and frowned, a thought coming to her. "Hey, Shizuru." She said haltingly.

Shizuru paused and looked at her. "Yes?"

"You...you can hold my hand." Natsuki mumbled, staring at her feet. "If you want." _I don't know what this means or why I'm doing this, it just…feels right._

Shizuru must have misheard. "What was that, Natsuki? I didn't quite hear you." There was no way Natsuki would actually say that, right? Shizuru's heart beat a little faster.

"Aargh, never mind," Natsuki started but a warm hand was suddenly in her own. Shizuru's fingers gently swept over Natsuki's before she fully intertwined them. The feel of Shizuru's thumb tracing over the landscape of her hand made Natsuki bite her lip but even so, she refused to let go.

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter will round out Seoul and introduce Nao! Feel free to guess her role; she'll be someone on the ship (and oh god, her introduction is awesome). I hope my fishing parts were vaguely accurate-the only things I know about fishing come from Pokemon games. As for the drowning segment, it was over and done with quickly since that's what would happen in real life. So hopefully the pacing was alright. Chapter songs are I'm For You- TobyMac and Aside- The Weakerthans. Until next time!<p> 


End file.
